


Detroit: Become Human Oneshots

by Sakuraaeris1497



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2019-07-29 09:08:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 118,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16261088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sakuraaeris1497/pseuds/Sakuraaeris1497
Summary: Author's Note: Greetings, everyone. I'm so happy that people wrote fanfiction on Tumblr for Detroit: Become Human because it coerced me to purchase the game and play it, and I LOVE it! So thanks again to all the writers who made wonderful stories and handcanons for the games.Therefore, I decided to make my own fanfictions for Detroit: Become Human, starting with Connor and Markus with their own respective female readers. I hope everyone enjoys and as always, comments and requests are welcome.





	1. DBH Markus/RK200 X Fem! Reader - Thank You

"Carl Manfred. 8941 Lafayette Avenue. Detroit, MI."

That's the information you received from your grandfather, (Grandfather's Name) Manfred, before he passed away in his sleep due to old age. With your parents' permission, you managed to find that distant cousin of your grandfather's in Detroit, a famous painter named Carl Manfred that your grandfather always talked fondly about and said you reminded him of. Since Detroit was your current residence and the place of your alma mater after being your dream city for as long as you could remember (mainly because of your grandfather's stories of himself and Carl), you decided to go meet Carl for yourself so he would at least know that he had a great niece who was alive and living in Detroit. 

So, after gaining the courage to write a letter to Carl to announce your presence in Detroit and request a private audience with him, the man asked you to come to his home for dinner if you were willing so you both could have a chat. Immediately after getting his letter, it elevated your excitement as you got dressed and made yourself look more presentable before getting into your car and driving about fifteen minutes to his home. Once you were let inside the front gates, you curbed your growing nervousness with affirmations of "you can do this, (Name)" as you exited your vehicle and made your way to the front door. 

Knocking on the door, you waited for Carl to answer as you clasped your hands in front of you so your hands rested in front of your stomach before an older man opened the door. With green eyes and white hair but a pleasant smile, the man introduced himself to you as he remarked, "Hello, and who might you be?" 

Before you could even introduce yourself in a nervous stutter since the man caught you off guard, he chuckled boisterously as he held his hands up in surrender while he stood in the doorway, "I'm just kidding. You must be (Name), correct?" Chuckling at the childlike spirit of this man, you held your hand out to shake his before you nodded and answered that you were indeed the woman who wrote the letter. With a kind smile and a firm handshake, Carl welcomed you into the house as he led you to the dining room, where a delicious meal was set up. At once, Carl pulled the chair out for you as you remarked at how much of a gentleman he was before he chuckled and quipped back, "Well, I was always a lady's man so I have to be in order to attract them to me." This only caused you to laugh again as Carl went to get the food from the kitchen before he replied, "I don't know if my cooking abilities are as good as my artistic abilities and I don't know if you'll like it. I should've asked before I cooked anything-"

"It smells delicious, Uncle Carl. Thank you so much for having me." You replied as you thanked Carl once the food was set in front of you before the man grinned, "Thank you so much for reaching out. Now, you said you were my great niece?"

"Yes, through my Grandpa Manfred." You replied as you took a bite of Carl's food, savoring every savory bite and inwardly remarking that he was a good cook, before the older man asked, "Grandpa Manfred?"

"Yeah, his name was (Grandfather's Name) and he always talked about this cousin he had growing up in Detroit that used to always paint and who always liked art. So when I found out that you were still alive and in Detroit, I knew I just had to meet you." 

"(Grandfather's Name)?...Oh my god, that name does sound familiar." Carl mused on his thoughts for a few moments as he placed his curled index finger to his chin before you explained, "He always said I reminded him of you and after he passed away a couple months ago from natural causes, I decided to find you and I did...He always followed your work in Detroit by keeping newspaper clippings, so it was actually easy to find you." 

"For what reason did you want to find me?" Carl interrogated you, internally intrigued to see what your response would be, before you explained sincerely, "I wanted to meet you since I had only ever heard of you through my grandpa's stories and through the newspaper clippings. He always regretted not being able to speak to you often or go to your art shows once he got sick so I wanted to come on his behalf and mine...But I also wanted to learn from you since I'm not the best artist when it comes to drawing and painting." 

"That...is a good reason to want to see an old, decaying man like me." Carl joked as he extended his hand so that it gripped your shoulder before he whispered, "My condolences for your grandfather. (Grandfather's Name) was a good man and he always supported my love of art even when the rest of the family thought I should get a real job. You wanna know something?"

"Yes, Carl?" 

"You have his eyes." Carl grinned warmly as you took his hand and nodded with a gentle smile before the older man invited you further into the house while you helped him clear the dinner table, "Why don't we explore my home a little and you tell me about yourself? I'd like to get to know you better since you seem like a sweet girl." 

"I'd love that. Thank you, Uncle Carl." You grinned as you followed your great uncle through his humble abode as you noticed the thousands upon thousands of books on the multiple shelves in Carl's living room. Fingering the spines of each book as you smiled, the smell of leather and paper filled the air around you before Carl asked, "You like books?" With a small nod, you smiled at Carl before he smiled back, "Hmm...If that's the case, you are welcome any time to my home if you'd like to read them." 

"Really? You'd let me do that?" You asked Carl, wanting to be sure that he really meant what he said, as he nodded, "I never have lots of visitors these days, so why not?" This only prompted you to hug the man tightly in gratitude as he froze in a daze at how sweet you really were, which didn't last long as he hugged you back with the same amount of love that you had done him. After breaking from the hug, you noticed a chess board on the coffee table beside a full bottle of scotch and two empty glasses before you asked your great uncle, "You play chess?"

"Yes, it was always a game that me and (Grandfather's Name) played as kids when I wasn't teaching him how to paint." Carl explained as you smiled at his story before he asked, "Do you play?" 

"Yeah, I'm not great at it but it was always fun whenever I played with my grandpa. He always joked with me whenever I made a bad move and we always ate breakfast right after the game. He always made the best breakfast with crispy bacon and eggs with the sunny side up." You reminisced over the wonderful memories you shared with your grandfather as silent tears streamed down your face before you wiped your eyes with your sleeve as you apologized to Carl for crying while he reassured you that your reaction was normal and okay with him. Then, your eyes focused on an ebony grand piano in the living room as Carl began to question you again to learn more about you, "Do you play piano?" 

"I only know the basics but it's not enough to play long songs. I prefer singing, mainly acapella or Broadway musicals, even opera. I also like acting." You answered as you pressed some of the ivories on the keyboard to create tiny notes that echoed in the room before Carl grinned, "You sing and act?"

"Yes, I used to join every drama club when I was little so I could do both. Now, I do therapy for mentally and physically disabled people by teaching them how to sing and act in order to make them feel better." You explained as you noticed that a gentle smile never left Carl's face the entire time he spent with you before he showed you around his studio, which was basically just a sunroom with wooden bookshelves full of paint cans, blank white canvases stacked against the wall, a metal sink full of dirty brushes, and wooden tables with multitudes of glass jars full of clean paint brushes. Marveling at the creative space of the famous Detroit painter, you gazed in awe at his studio as Carl smiled at you before you gasped, "This is amazing. It's absolutely beautiful." 

"I'm glad you like it, because this will be your classroom if you still want to learn from me." Carl remarked kindly as you noticed him setting up a blank canvas for you while grabbing an easel of paint colors and a clean brush before he beckoned you over with a wave of his hand. Wrapping an apron around you so you wouldn't get paint all over your clothes, Carl got you in front of the canvas as he suggested, "Why don't you try free hand painting for me? It doesn't matter what it is or how it looks now. Lessons will come later once I see where you are now."

"And if it sucks?"

"Art is not about being technically correct; it's about freedom of expression in order to help others see the world in the way you see it...Don't let anyone tell you what you are. Your art only sucks if you believe it so and if you believe it's beautiful, then others will see it too." Carl remarked as he put his hand on your shoulder before he commanded you to close your eyes and let your hand guide the colors and the images where they were willed to go. With your (Eye Color) orbs fluttering shut, your dominant hand dipped itself into some (Favorite Color) paint as the image of flowers entered your mind. As your hand glided across the canvas, Carl stared in awe at everything that appeared into view before you opened your eyes once you felt satisfied with what you did. While what you painted was not at the standards of what Carl's fans would enjoy, Carl whole-heartily had a fascination for the flowers you drew on the canvas before he hummed with his eyes closed as he remarked, "Oh my god...Absolutely beautiful." 

"You really think so?" You stuttered as bashfulness laced your every word and gesture before Carl nodded, "If your grandpa was still alive, I think he'd agree with me. With practice and patience, you'll be just as good as me." 

And from that first meeting with Carl, a quick, loving relationship between great uncle and great niece developed. For several months to several years, you spent every day with Carl before work as you both indulged in bacon and eggs in the way that you both preferred them (crispy bacon and eggs with the sunny side up) and after work so you could learn how to draw and paint better. Eventually, Carl asked you to live with him because you lived alone in an apartment with no companions and because he really needed the company, especially after a car wreck that made Carl a paraplegic. Throughout the entire ordeal of your great uncle losing the use of his legs, even when he lost his spark and love for life, you never gave up on Carl. Heck, you even gave up your hours at work just to take care of him full-time since his son Leo only came around to visit Carl to ask for money (only to blow it off on drugs, which made you angry that your uncle took advantage of your great uncle and disappointed Carl since he knew his son was better than this). However, Carl didn't want you to give up your job to care for him even when you reassured him that you didn't mind because you loved him and didn't want him to get even more ill or lonely, despite the fact that you did live in his home with him 24/7. Hearing of his friend's plight, Kamski contacted you over the phone to inform you that he had made a unique, one-of-a-kind android for Carl to act as caretaker and companion for when you were at work or running errands for the house. Honestly, the idea sounded cool since you and Carl had never encountered an android that would be working for you, but it was also nerve-racking because the androids of the day looked, acted, and sounded like real humans aside from a glowing LED on the side of their heads. But there was no reason to be nervous since the new addition to your little family was absolutely what you both needed. 

Markus...That was the name of the android Kamski made for you and Carl. He was an absolute sweetheart who wanted nothing more than to please the ones he would be taking care of daily. 

You could honestly remember your first meeting like it was yesterday and you'd never forget it for as long as you lived. You had just come home from work and prepared dinner for yourself and Carl but offered Markus a place to sit at the table to make him feel more welcome, like one of the family. You never saw an android's eyes widen so much as Markus's did unless when you and Carl were kind to him, but this was the widest you ever saw those bright green irises in the few months you had known Markus. If they went any wider, you were sure he would look like a chibi and this only made you laugh inside while on the outside, you exchanged a warm smile with Markus, whose only response was to smile back since he was very grateful for your kindness. Carl seemed to notice too as he just chuckled and gave you a wink when Markus wasn't looking before you just rolled your eyes, knowing your great uncle always liked to have a good joke, even if it meant at the expense of you or himself. 

With your help as you cleared away the dinner table and even managed to clean off the brushes and glass jars in the studio, Markus was able to get Carl to bed for the night after administering his medicine before coming back downstairs. At once, Markus caught sight of you standing on the ladder leading to the bookshelves in the living room as he asked you, "Do you need some help, Miss Manfred?" 

"Oh no, but thanks for the offer, Markus. I'm just reorganizing some of Uncle Carl's books so that they're easier to find later. I'll be down in a jiffy." You answered as you reached across the ladder to place a book back. It was very far and you knew your arm couldn't go that far, but you were determined to get that book back in its empty slot on the wooden shelf at all costs. You didn't know that "all costs" meant that you would miss the empty space and start a descent to the ground as your feet went out from under you on the ladder. You were prepared for the fall as you knew you would land arm first when you hit the floor...if you ever hit the ground. 

Shielding you from the ground by cradling you bridal style in his arms was Markus, the android who saved your life by breaking your fall. Rather than save the book as it slammed to the ground with an echoing thud, the one that Markus saved from falling was YOU. Honestly, you didn't know what came over you but as you wrapped your arms around his thick neck and stared into those sparkling eyes that reminded you of peridot stones, it was almost as if you could see the heart and soul of this android, even when he gazed in awe at you and then the ladder. You wished that you could know what he was thinking but if you did, all you would learn was that Markus wondered why he saved you from falling off the ladder and why he felt a strange emotion bubbling in his heart whenever he looked at you. Sure, it was in his program as a caretaker android to make sure you and Carl were unharmed, but this feeling inside him felt different from his program. When he saw you start your descent to the ground from that ladder, something inside him changed that he couldn't explain. If he were to try to explain, he would say that he felt a sudden shift in the way his thirium pump beat rhythmically in his chest, suddenly increasing in speed, or how his blue blood suddenly froze in his body as he raced to catch you before you broke your arm or your neck. And when Markus stared at you, it was like he was gazing at the most beautiful thing ever as he stared lovingly into your (Eye Color) eyes before he stared at the ladder when he felt you might be uncomfortable if he kept staring for too long. In that moment, Markus was ever gentle as he cradled you bridal-style in his strong arms before you whispered a "thank you" as the android set you back down on the ground as gently as possible to avoid further injuries. Giving you a whisper of "you're welcome," Markus continued to gaze at you as you continued your laser focus on him with your eyes before he started to leave the room to busy himself with another task, prompting you to call out to him as you prettily asked, "Wait, Markus!" 

Instantly turning around to face you, Markus gazed lovingly at you again before you beckoned him to you as you asked him to sit beside you. Markus tried to refuse your offer, saying that androids weren't allowed to interact with their owners aside from a business-like relationship while you combated that politely, saying that as long as Markus lived with you and Carl, he would be treated like a decent human being even if he was an android. If Markus's thirium heart could melt or warm up due to love, it would at what you said as you noticed that the android's green eyes seemed more glassy, almost as if he wanted to cry. This only made you smile at Markus more as he consented to sit beside you in the living room on the couch before you replied, "I want to thank you for everything you've done for me and Uncle Carl so far. It means a lot." 

"It's just in my program." Markus nodded as you placed your hand over his while you remained sitting before you shook your head, "Regardless of the circumstances, I just want to say that before you came, Carl was an empty shell of what he was and I was barely enough to keep him going. But after you came here, I've literally seen the light come back into my great uncle's eyes and I've heard him laugh for the first time in months. So thank you for taking care of him whenever I'm not here." 

"Of course, Miss Manfred." Markus nodded before you giggled, "Markus, we talked about this. You don't have to be so formal. You can just call me (Name)." 

"Of course, (Name)." Markus nodded again as you squeezed his hand tighter while he squeezed back with the same strength before he asked you, "Not to be nosy, but how did you come to live here?" 

"You're not nosy at all...I found Carl was a living relative of mine and I knew he was related to my grandfather because they were cousins...So I always wanted to meet him and learn art from him because I had only ever heard about Carl through my grandpa's stories." You explained before Markus asked some more questions, "What do you do whenever you're not home?" 

"I work as a therapist for mentally and physically disabled people. I teach them how to act and sing so they feel better about themselves, which in turn helps them feel better even when they're stuck in the hospital." You explained as Markus listened intently with eye contact never being lost the entire time you spoke, even if you had to sneeze or cough involuntarily. Throughout the entire conversation, Markus asked more questions about how long you had been a therapist and why you chose that career; he even asked about your childhood and where you went to school in order to be a therapist, and to each question came an honest answer from you. After all, you trusted Markus and wanted to be very open with the android who was caring for you and your great uncle so he would understand you better. But the look that Markus got in his eyes whenever he heard you speak so fondly of Carl or your grandfather (Grandfather's Name), it filled your heart with love unimaginable. You didn't know it yet, but this android was going to be growing on you very soon. And when it happened, there was nothing that anybody or anything could do to stop the growing love that bonded you and Markus together.


	2. DBH Connor/RK800 X Fem! Reader - Partners on the Case

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Greetings, ladies and gentleman. This is Sakuraaeris1497 with another fanfiction for Detroit: Become Human, this time with the lovable cinnamon roll cop Connor and his respective female reader. I hope everyone enjoys the fanfiction and as always, comments and requests are welcome.
> 
> Here's the original dialogue from the game in the form of YouTube links since I don't own DBH. 
> 
> Link = https://youtu.be/A0-N8bgwTDM
> 
> https://youtu.be/pqjL_OF3A94

You wondered when Hank would arrive to the station to begin work since you hadn't seen him since yesterday. You constantly worried about him ever since he lost Cole since you knew he was doing everything in his power to drink himself to death or attempt suicide, mainly because he was the number one father figure who helped raise you and train you to be a good cop when your own father was gone. However, Hank was going to do whatever Hank frigging Anderson wanted to do and you had to be respectful to him. After all, he was an adult who could make his own decisions and you knew that nothing you did could change him.  
But it didn't mean that you stopped worrying for him because Hank gave you anxiety and fast heart palpitations most days with his rash actions. 

But as you sat at your desk, lost in your thoughts, you suddenly heard a deep, clear voice with concise diction as they responded, "Excuse me?" Snapping your head up to meet the eyes of the voice, you took your elbow off the desk and your hand away from your cheek before you smiled kindly at the android who stood in front of your desk. While you knew Hank hated androids because of what happened to Cole, you actually believed that androids should be loved and treated like people since they appeared and acted as such. It was a constant debate with you and Hank but it never broke off your relationship and you both had your reasons for feeling the way you did on the matter. So it was no wonder that you were kind to the formally-dressed android as you smiled and asked, "Yes, what can I help you with?" 

"I'm looking for Lieutenant Anderson and Sergeant (Last Name). I've been assigned to a case alongside them and I'd like to leave right away for it." The male android responded as you suddenly got lost in his chocolate eyes and his cute yet still masculine face. However, his question snapped you out of your thoughts as you never broke eye contact with him while you answered, "Hank isn't here right now. He's probably at a local bar nearby though." 

"Do you know which bar?" The android asked with his hands behind his back as you shook your head, "Unfortunately, Hank frequents them all so I wouldn't be able to tell you on any given day." However, you started grabbing your coat and scarf so you could put them on your person while you smiled at Connor, "But if you'd like, I can help you look for him." 

"Thank you, Ma'am." The android nodded as you two took off down the hall to make it to the front entrance before you turned back to the male android as you asked, "And you said that you were also looking for Sergeant (Last Name)?"

"Yes. That would be correct."

"Well, it seems as though you have good luck since I'm Sergeant (Last Name). However most people just call me (Name)." You replied as you held your hand out to the android for him to shake while he stared blindly at your palm for a few milliseconds. He didn't know what to do in this moment since it wasn't in his normal program, however, he had researched somewhere that returning a handshake was polite and helped gain trust with the person who gave the handshake. Therefore, the android gave a solid grip to your hand because you were his partner on the recent case and you were willing to help him find Hank. In the way the android grabbed your hand, you felt like you could trust this male with your life as you nodded with a gentle smile his way as he introduced himself too, "My name is Connor. I'm the android sent by CyberLife." 

"What a handsome name. I like it and I think it suits you well." You grinned widely with a wink of your (eye color) iris as you finished the handshake with Connor before the android stared at you in awe. Honestly, the brunette couldn't get enough of looking at you as he didn't know what emotions were coming over him whenever he looked at you.  Sure, he had just met you only today, but there was something about you that seemed special, serene, loving. However, Connor could also see something that no one else saw since they didn't have body scanners. While a smile was ever present on your face, your eyes held a melancholic pain to them, a type of deep sadness that Connor couldn't quite pinpoint the cause of. However, those same eyes also held a warmth to them that made Connor proud to be your partner on this case with you and Hank. 

(Software Instability ^^^^^^^^)

Walking outside to a standard cop car, you got in the driver's seat while Connor sat in the passenger seat as you turned the key in the ignition and stepped on the gas. The entire time you drove, you noticed Connor playing with a quarter as he was making it do all kinds of rolls and flips in his hands before you grinned at him, "I noticed you playing with that coin."

"I can stop if you want." 

"No, no. Don't stop on account of me. I was just curious as to why you did it." You shrugged politely before Connor answered your question clearly, "It helps with my mental and physical focus by improving my coordination." 

"Oh, I just thought you were doing that to show off." You giggled before you turned a corner by gripping the steering wheel and guiding the car before you drove down another straight road while you grinned again, "That's so cool. I wish I could do cool stuff like that."

"Maybe I could teach you sometime. If we're going to be partners, we'll be spending more time together." Connor replied with a wink of his brown eye as your face warmed up with a red hue at his seemingly warm personality before you nodded, "Thanks, Connor."

"You're welcome, (Name)." The android replied with a kind expression as you continued to drive the car until you parked in an empty space and entered the first bar you encountered with Connor. Immediately, you began looking around for Hank and even asked the owner if they saw your father figure around only to find no leads. So a constant cycle continued for about four more bars until finally, you spotted Hank sitting at the front of the bar as you alerted Connor to that fact. Immediately, Connor began doing facial scans to make sure that he found Hank until he caught sight of the man, who was currently drowning himself in some heavy-duty spirits when you greeted your father figure with a gentle wave and an even gentler smile, "Hey, Hank." 

Your new male android partner also approached Hank politely as he cut in with your nodding head as a sign of permission to speak, "Lieutenant Anderson. My name is Connor. I'm the android sent by CyberLife. I looked for you at the station but Sergeant (Last Name) said you weren't there and helped me find you. I was lucky that we found you at the fifth bar."

"What do you want?" Hank huffed with his glass of spirits in his hand as Connor answered, "You and (Name) were assigned a case this evening. A homicide involving a CyberLife android. In accordance with procedure, the company has allocated a specialized model to assist investigators."

"Well I don't need any assistance, specially not from a plastic asshole like you." Hank gruffly huffed while not even making eye contact with you or Connor as you shook your head and pleaded, "Hank, don't be rude to him. Connor did nothing to you. The sooner we finish the case, the sooner you can go home and do whatever your ass desires." Connor only patiently waited for Hank to finish sipping his drink and for you to stop speaking with a frustrated, anxious sigh before he spoke again, "I understand that some people are not comfortable in the presence of androids but I am-"

"I am perfectly comfortable-Now back off before I crush you like an empty beer can!" Hank threatened as you could literally see the anger rising in your father figure before Connor offered, "You know what? I'll buy you one for the road. What do you say?" All Hank could do was stare ahead blindly with a blank expression even though you noticed a spark in his eyes that signified surprise as Connor called out, "Bartender, the same again, please." After slipping a dollar bill onto the counter before scooting it towards the African-American male, all the bartender could do was turn with a shocked expression at an android telling him what to do before Hank shrugged with a surprised expression and a drunk chuckle under his breath, "See that, Jim? Wonders of technology...Make it a double." After taking a sip of his alcohol while you smiled at Connor and gave him a thumbs-up for doing a good job of making your father figure comply with doing as you both asked, Hank looked at you both with a drunk smile as he asked, "Did you say homicide?" With a soft nod from Connor, you beckoned for Hank to get out of the bar stool as your keys jingled in your hand while you went out to the car, a hand on Hank's back to make sure he didn't topple over even though he didn't have a lot to drink to cause a lack of balance. 

Once you three got to the crime scene, Hank asked Connor to stay in the car while he would investigate with you. However, Connor disobeyed direct orders from Hank since it went against his programming as your father figure just shrugged and rolled his eyes. At the same time, you stayed close to Connor as you went past the holographic yellow tape before another police officer stopped Connor, saying that no androids were allowed. However, you and Hank vouched for Connor's presence at the crime scene as the officer let you and your new partner through before you and Connor went to work investigating. 

Kneeling down beside a pool of crimson blood, you watched in confusion as Connor dipped a finger into the liquid before licking it, which piqued your interest as you asked, "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" Connor questioned with puppy-dog eyes and an innocent head tilt as you specified what troubled you, "The blood and the licking." 

"I can analyze solid and liquid samples in real-time by putting them in my mouth. I can find out how old a sample is as well as who the blood belongs to if they're human. I can even learn the serial number of the android if they've been injured and there is blood loss coming from them." Connor explained before you nodded politely and continued to investigate the scene, recording everything that Connor recounted to you in real-time on an old-fashioned tape recorder that you kept in your back pocket so you would have an audio play-by-play of the crime scene for future reference later on. At the same time, Hank was talking to a fellow investigator while you and Connor surveyed the crime scene together, with your male partner sampling liquid evidence orally and scanning the house, while you recorded everything on the tape recorder and tried to piece a motive together with Connor's help. 

After Connor reconstructed the crime scene together with his physical simulation scans, he allowed you the chance to go over the evidence as you nodded, "Okay, I think I understand how Ortiz died...He was stabbed in the kitchen and fell several times on the floor and in the doorway...He crawled to the living room and then was stabbed 28 times before being left here for 19 days. And since we found no tracks in the dirt, that means that the android either escaped another way or could still be here in the house...But as far as a motive goes, I got nothing." 

"If it will help the investigation, I'd like to mention that I found a bat in the kitchen covered in blue blood." Connor responded as you gasped lightly, "Of course! How could I forget such a minute detail? Thanks, Connor." The male android only gave you a small nod to express that he acknowledged you thanking him for his help on the case before you monologued to yourself aloud, "So if the bat is taken into account,  
then that means the android was defending himself when he stabbed Ortiz. But the question is who struck first?" 

"Lieutenant! I think (Name) and I know what happened." Connor called out to Hank as the older man came up to both of you before he shrugged while he had his arms crossed and his back leaning against the wall, "Oh yeah? Shoot. I'm all ears." 

As he walked through the scenario of the crime with Hank, Connor walked through the various parts of the house as he monologued his findings while you filled in the blanks every so often by chiming in at random times and recorded everything Connor said on the tape recorder, "It all started in the kitchen."

"That's where we found a bat covered in blue blood and a missing compartment where a kitchen knife should be." You replied before Hank shrugged as he followed you and Connor to the kitchen, "They're obvious signs of a struggle. The question is what exactly happened here."

"I think the victim attacked the android with the bat." Connor explained again as Hank nodded in agreement and started to go along with whatever you and Connor said,  
"That lines up with the evidence. Go on." 

"The android stabbed the victim." Connor explained before Hank asked, "So the android was trying to defend itself, right?" 

"That's honestly what we think, Hank. It makes sense given the knife is missing and the bat is still in the kitchen." You nodded before your father figure shrugged,  
"Continue." 

"The victim fled to the living room." Connor recounted as Hank followed you and the android back to the living room before the older man shrugged again, "And he tried to get away from the android...Alright, that makes sense." 

"The android murdered the victim with the knife." Connor finished the scenario of the crime scene before Hank nodded in agreement, "Okay, your theory's not totally ridiculous. But it doesn't tell us where the android went." 

"It was damaged by the bat and lost some Thirium." Connor replied before you chimed in, "And we found no tracks leading outside the house from the front or back to signify that the android left. So I don't know about you two but I have reason to believe that the android is still here in the house." 

"Lost some what?" Hank asked before Connor clarified, "Thirium. You call it 'Blue Blood.' It's the fluid that powers androids' biocomponents. It evaporates after a few hours and becomes invisible to the naked eye."

"Oh, but I bet you can still see it, can't you?" Hank questioned your new male android partner as Connor nodded, "Correct." 

With that, Connor began scanning the house for Thirium as you accompanied him before he noticed a trail leading to an overhead attic in the hallway that was between the bathroom and the kitchen. Upon investigating the hallway further, Connor determined that there was a ladder missing from the wall and that the android was not hiding in a curtained compartment below the attic. At once, you both determined that the android might be up in the attic as Connor found a blue bloody handprint with his scanners on the door to the attic before he politely asked you to stay put while he went to the kitchen to gather a chair. 

"Hey! Hey! Hey! What are you doin' with that chair?" Hank hollered at Connor as he was confused by the android's actions before he replied, "I'm going to check something and Sergeant (Last Name) is going to help me." 

"Huh, going to check something." Hank shrugged since he didn't know how to combat an android like Connor, especially since the android had disobeyed Hank's direct orders to stay in the car since it conflicted with his program. In the meanwhile, Connor positioned the chair under the attic door as he pushed the platform aside before he climbed into the attic. Once he was safely inside, he extended his hand to you so you could assist him in finding the android as he lifted you into the attic. Immediately after entering the dark, cold space, you cocked your handgun and held it in front of you as you motioned for Connor to begin looking around while you whispered a promise that you would cover his back. Nodding solemnly at your promise, Connor went ahead as he pulled a nearby curtain aside, only to reveal a wooden mannequin, before he motioned for you to keep following him. After a few steps, you and Connor watched a dark figure sprint across the floor in front of you as you whispered "over there, to the left" before Connor nodded back and followed the figure, you tip-toeing behind with the gun ready to fire if you or Connor were being threatened. The second that you and Connor  rounded the corner, a male android with the appearance of an African-American male popped out from behind two cardboard boxes with a red LED spinning and hyperventilating breathes escaping his lips as you and your partner prepared for the worst. 

"I was just defending myself...He was gonna kill me. I'm begging you, don't tell them." The android replied with a scared facial expression and trembling voice as you and Connor exchanged a solemn look with the android before Hank called up to you two from the bottom of the attic, "(Name), what's going on up there? Shout if you're alright!" 

"It's alright, Hank!" You shouted back before Connor shouted back to your father figure as well, "It's here, Lieutenant!" At once, Hank went to get his fellow investigators, Chris and Ben, while the android expressed sorrow at being caught because you and Connor had found him. And while it stung your heart to have to turn this deviant in since all he wanted was to be alive and free, you had to follow orders as a law enforcement officer by apprehending criminals who committed any crime, whether human or android. However, all you noticed as they handcuffed and took the deviant away to a cop car was Connor smiling at you, thanking you for your assistance as you shrugged off that it was just part of your job before the android congratulated you for your intelligence in helping him with the case. You didn't know it yet, but this new partner of yours was going to grow on you, and when he did, it would change the both of you for the better.


	3. DBH Markus/RK200 X Fem! Reader - A Duet at the Piano

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Hello, my lovelies. Here's another DBH Markus oneshot with the same female reader from the last oneshot. I do hope everyone enjoys it since I'm enjoying the writing of the multiple oneshots for Detroit: Become Human for Connor and Markus.

Several weeks had passed since Markus saved you from falling from a ladder near the living room bookshelf and you were still mulling it over in your head ever since that fateful night. While you were grateful to him for doing so and while you thought it was just part of his program to prevent harm or illness from coming to you or Carl, there was a small part of you that believed that Markus was becoming like less of an android with every passing day that he spent in the Manfred household. Just the way Markus looked at you when he saved you and even when you told him how you came to be a permanent resident at Carl's house, those peridot irises twinkling with not a shred of contact lost the entire time you spoke and his audio sensors constantly picking up on every syllable, it just seemed like he was not android...It just appeared as if you saw Markus's humanity and empathy in that moment as you noticed some kind of affection brewing in his eyes with every glance. So as you got out of your bed every day and went to bed every night, these thoughts and beliefs danced in circles around your consciousness as you couldn't get Markus out of your head. Over the next few weeks since that night Markus broke your fall, you had seen a poster around town for auditions at the local theatre for a musical and it piqued your interest because you loved this musical so much for its storyline, lead role, and music. Since you hadn't been onstage in several years ever since your grandfather became ill and you wanted to take care of him until his sudden passing, you decided it was high time to put yourself out there again and get back to singing and acting on stage, just like when you were a little girl. Therefore, you put your heart and soul into making sure you got the lead female part in that audition by practicing every day and night with both the script and song assigned to you by the director and producer who were working on casting at the auditions. 

Over the next few weeks, Carl and Markus noticed a switch in your mood as you masked nervousness with genuine excitement while you were helping Markus with housework so he would have more time to relax or taking care of Carl in Markus's absence when he went to get paint at Bellini's. The first switch in your mood was that your focus increased more than it already had been as they watched you pace back and forth around the house, always with a paper binder in hand as you constantly went over lines for your highlighted sections of the script for all possible parts you wished to audition for. Sometimes, they even caught you dancing around in circles in the living room with your eyes closed as you silently listened to the songs of the musical in the wireless headphones that were attached to your smartphone. Just seeing you so focused and excited made Markus and Carl happy to watch you as you noticed them smiling whenever you entered the room with your own smile, full of love and kindness. They even offered to help you with your audition by going over lines and practicing your music if you so wished it, which you accepted their help gladly as Carl often helped you with lines by reading off the other characters' parts while he was relaxing in the living room with you after he was done painting for the day and you had returned home from work. However, one such moment that occurred over the few weeks you spent preparing for the audition literally made Markus's thirium pump skip a beat, even without you being aware of his presence watching over you. 

Markus had just finished turning on the mechanical birds and setting the table for breakfast after getting more paint from Bellini's when he heard the most beautiful sound coming from your room as he rounded the stairs. Recognizing the voice to be feminine, Markus figured it was you listening to the soundtrack from the musical you were auditioning for. However, there was a small part of him that believed the singing voice belonged to you and you alone since you were usually awake before ten in the morning. Therefore, he couldn't help himself from taking a peek from behind your door as it was left open a crack before he noticed you singing acapella in front of your full-length ground mirror. You were fully clothed in an oversized sweater and black leggings, an outfit usually worn by you when you had a day off from the hospital. With your long hair like Rapunzel free-flowing as you brushed it out of your face with your hand and a warm smile with fluttering eyes ever-present with every note and lyric, Markus thought you looked absolutely ethereal as his peridot eyes warmed at the sight of you. Honestly, he didn't know what came over him but whenever he looked at you in your natural state without any makeup on or formal business clothes on your person, what he saw was an angel who always exchanged kind words and a helping hand. But in his mind, you were so beautiful that words couldn't even describe what he was feeling. If he tried to explain again what was happening to him, he would say he felt overheated as his internal fans desperately tried to cool him down while his thirium pump beat faster with every glance his eyes took upon your physique. Markus always knew you could sing since he had seen some of your old work on videos your grandfather had made for you when you were a kid. But compared to now, you had absolutely grown in your craft and sounded more mature with a richness and clarity to your tone, diction, and pitch that was unique to you. It made Markus go nuts on the inside just staring at you lovingly as a gentle smile appeared on his face and his LED glowed blue, then yellow while it spun around on his temple. As he stared in longing at you, a conflict brewed in Markus's heart and his programming. He wanted to look away and announce his presence at the door so he could get you and Carl downstairs for breakfast. He wanted to just forget what he saw and carry on with a business-like relationship towards you. He wanted to just be the best android caretaker he could be to to you and Carl...But the image of you, the beautiful great niece of Carl Manfred singing in front of her mirror, was burned into his memory. And honestly, he never wanted to look away and he never wanted to forget. So long as he could see you like that and engage with you every day since you were always so kind to him, he didn't care who knew of his current feelings in regards to you. 

A few minutes passed as you finished singing the song while Markus walked back a couple paces to act as though he had just arrived upstairs before he knocked on your door to announce his presence. Turning your head lightly as you smiled, you knew Markus was at the other end of the door as you announced that he was welcome to come in before a routine that occurred since day one of Markus being a permanent member of the household began. Markus came inside and announced that breakfast was ready before you thanked him for fetching you and making the food. You then asked Markus if he needed any help with the chores before he replied that he was appreciative of your offer before kindly declining said offer since he was a caretaker android. But this time, rather than just let what he said go, you reassured him that he was much more than a caretaker android because he was like a surrogate son to Carl and a best friend to you since he acted so much like a human. And rather than politely debate with you, Markus just nodded with a gentle smile and a "Sure, okay (Name)" as you giggled at how cute he looked before remarking that you'd be downstairs waiting for him and Carl. When your back was turned, Markus was kinda glad that you had fully descended down the stairs because had you still been around to glance at him, you would've noticed that his cheeks became flushed as they lit up like he had paint chucked at his face before he cleared his throat and headed to Carl's room to wake the elderly man up. But all the while, Markus couldn't get you out of his head as he opened the curtains, greeted Carl, and helped him get dressed for the day. 

After breakfast, Carl had several phone calls to make and fan mail to answer for that day since he wanted to be present once you got off of work and did your audition in three days. For this reason, Carl gave Markus the day off since he wouldn't need Markus again except for when it was time to fetch him for meal times. Knowing that you would be alone with Markus the majority of the day, you decided to ask the male android a question after breakfast while Carl went to his creative space, his beloved studio, to answer the phone calls and fan mail. In the meanwhile, you sauntered up to Markus, who was currently clearing off the dinner table and putting the dishes in the sink so he could wash them by hand while you offered to help him, which the android let you get away with since he was still in awe of your beauty and because he knew debating with you about it wouldn't work since it never worked out well for him. But as you dried off and put away the dishes that Markus had finished cleaning, you twiddled your index fingers and took light side-steps towards Markus as if you seemed worried about his reaction before you stuttered, "Umm...Markus..." You were so quiet that your voice didn't register on Markus's audio sensors, so you coughed into your fist as you tried again, still twiddling your fingers, "Markus?" 

"Yes, (Name)?" Markus snapped up and gazed into your eyes as he cleaned the dish soap from the sink with the removable nozzle on the faucet before you responded, "Umm...I'm gonna sound so stupid when I ask you this." 

"No, you won't, (Name). Tell me. What's on your mind?" Markus reassured you as he dried off his hands with a towel and extended a gentle hand onto your shoulder before you nodded, gathering up the courage to ask Markus your question, "Well, since Uncle Carl gave you the day off and since I'm still practicing for my auditions that are in three days, I was wondering if you could assist me in helping me with the music for the audition." After pausing for a moment to see Markus's reaction, you found that he was still processing your request as his LED spun around with a blue hue, then a yellow one as you shrugged to reassure him, "It's okay if you don't want to since I know you may be busy or just want to relax. If not, I can just find an instrumental recording to practice with." 

"I'd love to help you since that'll help me relax and if means you'll sing, then I'd be happy to assist. Besides, your uncle asked me to learn piano to better assist him so it would be the perfect opportunity." Markus explained as he gave you a gentle smile before you nodded and smiled back, "Thanks, Markus. You're the best." After walking a couple of steps in front of you, you whipped back around to wrap your arms around Markus as you gave him the warmest, tightest hug you could muster the strength for while the male android gasped inwardly at your actions and waited a couple seconds before returning the hug. For a moment, Markus felt safe and peaceful in your arms as he closed his eyes and savored the tender contact. Computing the scent of your clothing and the softness of your hair into his memory, Markus actually smiled outwardly as his blue LED spun around several times like a hyperactive hamster on a wheel before he felt you let go so you could stare back up at him with a smile. Then, making your way to the automatic door, you turned around to give one last look to Markus before the android heard you run back upstairs to get the script so he would know what notes to play for the songs designated for the parts you were auditioning for. Once Markus heard your footfalls on the stairs and then heard you setting everything up by the piano, he smiled at you again as he sat down beside you on the bench. The entire time you two were setting up to sing to the background of the piano, every one of your shared actions were noticed by Carl as he wheeled himself to the automatic door just an inch without alerting you both to his presence. At once, he chuckled with a remark of "Ah, young love" before answering his stack of fan mail while you turned the pages to the first song for the lead female character you really wanted in the musical. 

Once Markus got a look at the book in front of him, he researched the musical in his head so he would know what musical numbers he needed to be playing (and what notes and key he should be singing in since some of the songs were duets meant to be sung by a female and a male simultaneously) before he had his own questions forming in his head while his LED spun around in a crimson hue. After debating whether he should ask the question or not, Markus decided to ask as he turned to you, "(Name)?"

"Yes, Markus?" You snapped up as you gazed at him with loving (Eye Color) irises filled with concern before the male android interrogated you, "I was wondering...Do you play piano?"

With a small shrug and a shake of your head, you gave Markus an honest reply, "Unfortunately, I only know the basics, so I wouldn't even be able to play a simple song such as 'Happy Birthday.' I apologize for that."

"If you'd like, after I help you practice, I would be happy to teach you more than just the basics." Markus offered as your eyes lit up as they widened as much as they could physically go before you gasped, "You would do that?" 

"I am an android who acts as caretaker and companion. Anything I can do to make you and Carl safe and happy is part of my program." Markus explained as you joked with a playful chuckle escaping your lips and a cheeky smile on your face, "You sure it's not just because you want to spend more time with me?" Unsure on how to tread further with answering your question, Markus could only muster out a stutter, "Well, I'm you and Carl's caretaker so I always spend time with you two...Not that I don't like spending time with you...No...Let me please start again. What I meant to say was-"

"I'm just joking around with you, Markus." You reassured the male android with a gentle smile as you placed your hand on top of his tan hand while he ceased his speech and calmed down upon seeing that you really were being humorous based on the increased levels of endorphins racing through your body before he nodded with his own smirk as he faced the piano before looking at you out of the corner of his eye, "Sure. Okay, (Name)." After giggling again, you turned to Markus as you scooted closer to him on the bench before you took a deep breath to make sure there was enough air in your lungs for the song. 

After asking if you were ready, Markus hovered his hands over the ivories as you nodded and gave him permission to play the instrumental intro of the first song. With each note that played for the first song, you found yourself laughing joyfully since the song was meant to be humorous as Markus smiled at you warmly, biting his bottom lip to keep himself from laughing at your antics during the song, before you turned serious as the song switched to a more serious tone. The entire time you sang with your eyes fluttering shut every so often when the passion increased, Markus's peridot irises never left your gentle face as Carl spied on you from the studio through the use of the automatic door while he tried not to alert you both to his presence a second time. 

After practicing the songs for what seemed like hours even though it was mere minutes, you took a deep breath as Markus went to get you some water for your throat since you had been singing constantly for close to an hour as you thanked the male android for the help. After taking a few sips, you put the water down before you looked to Markus, who looked back at you as he commented, "You sing beautifully." 

"Thank you." You nodded as your (Eye Color) orbs sparkled while Markus smiled back at you before you complimented your great uncle's companion and caretaker, "Your piano playing is absolutely wonderful but it's not like you're following some kind of computer program. It's almost as if you...feel the song and play accordingly. Whatever the case may be, I love it. It's beautiful." 

"Thank you, (Name)." Markus nodded back with a grin as his heart melted at the endless smiles you gave him before you began to speak again, sparking his attention to turn back to you, "I can't thank you enough for helping me, Markus. I was just so nervous I was going to screw to the songs that I needed help from you since I knew Uncle Carl asked you to learn music and art as well as read books he recommended."

"Why would you be nervous? You're the perfect candidate for the lead female role. You know all your lines like the back of your hand and your voice is unique...I can't comprehend any reason why the director wouldn't pick you." Markus mused aloud as he tried to calm your anxiety-driven speech before you shrugged while you explained, "Well, everything you say is true...But every artist has this fear, especially one like me who hadn't been onstage in years since I was maybe seventeen...And the fact that I haven't sang in years means I'm way out of practice...But with your help today, I'm sure I'll be prepared for the auditions." 

"I'm glad I could help." Markus grinned as you leaned over on the bench to hug him again while he returned the embrace before he remembered that he needed to clean the art studio. After he politely excused himself from the piano and announced what his current tasks were, you offered to help him with his chores as Markus nodded and decided not to debate with you since he knew he would lose. After all, you were stubborn like Carl and would do whatever you wished so long as you didn't hurt people or break the law. But Markus didn't mind since he enjoyed the company he spent with you as you assisted him with chores on your few days off while you enjoyed spending more time with your favorite android. This deep connection was so obvious that Carl even began to joke around as he called you and Markus "my love birds" from the other side of the studio before you two stared wide-eyed at the man, stuttering back that you two weren't a couple before the elderly man chuckled and admitted that he was just teasing, making you both calm down and return to your task at hand. What you and Markus didn't realize was that Carl wasn't kidding since he could see the way you two looked at each other in longing as if you wanted to be together but were afraid of society's views for an android and a human being a romantic partnership. However, as you two cleaned up the various glass jars and brushes together, you and Markus couldn't help smiling and blushing at each other as Carl shook his head while he returned to answering his fan mail. 

After dinner that night, you decided to retire to bed early even though you had the weekend off since you had so many hours put in and your superior begged you to take your vacation time to rest. Bidding Carl goodnight with a tender kiss to the forehead and a sweet hug to Markus, you rounded the staircase before you shut your bedroom door. At the same time, Markus's eyes never stopped gazing at you before he felt Carl elbow the back of his leg, playfully pouting his lips with a single, raised eyebrow as he nodded his head towards where you exited. Right away, Markus put two and two together to realize that Carl was hinting at the fact that the male with the glowing LED on his temple was staring at you lovingly before the male android shrugged with a playful scoff, "Sure. Okay, Carl...You caught me. I'm looking at (Name) no differently from how I look at her everyday." 

"Markus, I may be old but I'm not stupid. I know that look because I've done it many times to many women. You're clearly in love." Carl tried to reason with his android as Markus shook his head again, still in denial,   
"Androids can't feel emotions."

"Who says they can't? You are the only android I've met who is more human than machine. If any android could feel love for another, you'd be the ideal candidate in my opinion." Carl debated with Markus as the android nodded before the older man continued his speech, "Speaking of (Name), I trust you with her so if you two end up being a couple, I wouldn't object." 

"I can assure you, Carl. (Name) and I are not a couple. I just enjoy her company and she enjoys mine." Markus replied with a confident expression on the outside. Inside himself was a different story, plagued with conflict and nervousness since he felt an unexplainable feeling in regards to you even though he denied that it was love. All Markus's answer did was cause Carl to give a hum of "Mmm-hmm" under his breath with narrowed eyes before he announced he was an old man who was ready for bed even though he wished he had his youth back so he could stay up later. This statement only made Markus laugh as he wheeled Carl back to his bedroom to help him prepare for bed before he bid the man goodnight until the next morning. 

Pacing through the house alone, Markus checked around to make sure that the mechanical birds were not chirping anymore and that the house was clean before Carl's words replayed in his head like a static video on play. Although Markus didn't want to admit it since he was SUPPOSED to have a business-like relationship with you and Carl, he did feel something. He felt like Carl was his father figure and not his master. He felt love for you beyond that of an employee and an employer. He felt...But Markus stated that androids couldn't feel emotions, and yet here he was, doing the exact thing he said was not possible. But even if it was against his program, Markus didn't care. He DID feel something for you and he wasn't going to deny it. He could hide it and he could try not to feel it, but he could never deny it because the harder he tried, the harder it was to forget. And putting everything out there, Markus didn't want to deny it. That's why he smiled as he replayed the memory of your singing that morning, using that to motivate his duties in the Manfred household as he remained you and Carl's caretaker and protector.


	4. DBH Markus/RK200 X Fem! Reader - Sure, Okay

In the three days it took for you to finish last minute preparations for your auditions, you and Markus had been growing closer together as he helped you with practicing your music, the male android tapping his fingers across the black and white keys while you sang to your heart's content. And all the while, Markus couldn't deny the feelings that overcame him whenever you were around. Your kindness towards him was one factor that drew him to you since you didn't treat him like he was a slave but rather as an equal who was like a son to Carl and who occasionally needed your help with the chores. Markus also appreciated your kindness because whenever Leo came around to borrow more of Carl's money for drugs, you would defend the android whenever he was called "little plastic toy" by the elderly man's son and you would also defend Carl by saying that he did care about his son and didn't deserve to be talked down to like he was less than a person just because he didn't want to give free handouts to Leo, who he knew was using the money on drugs. Even if it would get you called some insulting name or even shoved back by the shoulders really hard whenever you would slap Leo in the face for hitting or shoving Markus, the male android never forgot that since you were willing to put your life in danger in order to keep him safe from the drug and jealousy-induced wrath of Leo. Your voice was the second factor that drew Markus to you because while it was normal given your occupation and your hobbies, your voice was so unique to you that Markus believed it couldn't be recreated with even the best recording devices or the latest androids for sale in CyberLife stores. The third factor that drew Markus to you was your intelligence, which allowed you to engage in deep, open conversations with the male android but also allowed you to joke around with him and even laugh at his witty comments whenever he attempted to make you and Carl laugh. Finally, the fourth factor that brought Markus closer to you was your physical appearance. Sure, you weren't built like an android female such as an AX400 or a WR400 that would attract even mortal men to gaze upon them in wonder. But as they say, 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder.' That's why to Markus, as his peridot irises always had the honor of gazing upon you every morning, noon, and night, he believed with every fiber of his being that you were absolutely perfect just the way you were. It didn't matter to Markus what you looked like based on genetics or life experience since he loved you for ALL of you. However, fear paralyzed Markus from saying anything about his feelings to you directly because he didn't want to lose you or make you think less of him for falling in love with a human. What he didn't realize was that you started having feelings for him at the same time. 

After Carl had made it quite clear when you two were alone that he didn't mind if you hooked up with his android, even if it was like incest in a way given that Carl and Markus acted more like father and son than master and slave, you still tried to deny it outwardly even though on the inside, you just couldn't bring yourself to forget and deny what you felt in your heart for the android. Just those peridot eyes staring at you lovingly with every action and word that came from you, it melted your heart and made you feel like you were floating on air as you almost had to keep yourself from blushing every time he made you feel like that. It wasn't that you were embarrassed or scared to admit that the male android had grown on you over the passing days that he cared for you and your great uncle, but it made you nervous since you were unaware of how Markus felt about you too. Taking chances were a good thing in life since it brought unexpected consequences that could end up being good later on down the line and while you wanted to tell Markus how you really felt about him, you didn't want to make things awkward between you two so you remained silent. 

After deciding to withhold your feelings for Markus unless asked directly by him or Carl, the night before your audition, you and your great uncle had departed to bed earlier than normal, mainly because you had to get up early to make it to the theatre on time. In the meanwhile, after getting his hug from you during your ascent on the staircase to get to your room, Markus returned to the task of checking the house for anyone trying to break in and turning off the mechanical birds that jumped around in the golden cage. Every once in a while, Markus found himself going back upstairs to check on you and Carl to make sure you both were sleeping okay. While Carl's vitals were okay for his age, Markus found you wide awake since you had taken a nap before dinner after practicing your music with your favorite android again (which made Markus smile as he picked you up and tucked you into your bed with a kiss to the forehead that didn't go unnoticed by you even though Markus believed you were too sleepy to pick up on that tender stimuli). Therefore, you were found doing what you normally did when you didn't want to sleep right away: Watching videos on your touchscreen pad with the volume low enough since you were considerate of your sleeping relative next-door. This only brought a smile to Markus's face as he recounted the internal memories of you watching movies and asking the android to partake in sitting down with you as part of his requested research from Carl since you told Markus that movies were an art form and industry just as booming as books, art, and music. Since Markus always wanted to be a good companion for you and Carl, he complied to watching the films every single time you asked since they were personally recommended for him by you in order to increase his knowledge of the Arts and because he didn't want to refuse the people he was caring for. However, Markus went back downstairs to turn off all the lights in the house and clean the art studio so you could watch the film alone since you seemed so into it and he didn't want to disturb you. Once he was finished with his tasks, Markus rounded the stairs several more times in completing his chores in order to check on you and Carl. However, as soon as he went back to your bedroom door to check on you and Carl one last time, Markus heard sniffling coming from inside your bedroom, a noise that sounded so near and so real that it couldn't have come a character from the film you were watching. 

At once, Markus scanned your bedroom for abnormalities and found that your serotonin levels had dropped, which could only alert him to the fact that you were the one crying, not the people in the video. Upon scanning further, he saw you biting back sobs as you were sitting up against the headboard, bunching your blankets up around you as you desperately wiped tears away with the long sleeves of your pajama shirt. Normally, Markus would know how to handle a situation like this by neutralizing it and getting the person back to peak physical condition. But what was occurring with you was in the mind with only the physical symptoms of a dry throat and hyperventilation caused by your tears. Therefore, Markus found himself unable to think of a quick solution to the issue, especially since you weren't so distressed that you were waking up Carl or the entire block of neighbors. But every time a sob escaped your lips, Markus's thirium pump began to ache in his chest as he began to feel melancholic and sympathetic to you since it killed him to see you like that. This only made Markus's feet speed into your room as he scanned area to find the source of the tears while you looked up at him, greeting him politely with a hoarse tone as you continued to wipe away your tears with your sleeve. Looking at the screen playing the movie, Markus saw that the credits were rolling as the theme song for the film played in the background. Upon scanning further, Markus realized that you were watching 'The Princess Bride' and that the song playing was 'Storybook Love by Mark Knopfler.' So unless you were upset that the movie was over, that didn't explain why your serotonin plummeted so dramatically. Therefore, Markus thought there was a deeper cause to your tears that had something to do with the film and another part to do with something else, maybe something from your past. 

After seeing no other things in the room that could upset you as much as you were currently, Markus raced to sit on the bed beside you before you tried to force a smile, even when it hurt your heart to fake it for him since he knew a fake smile from a real smile. For several minutes as he rubbed your shoulder comfortingly while you sniffled and wiped your tears with your sleeves, Markus decided to calm you down first before asking about the cause of your tears since he didn't want to cause you any more distress, especially not the night before your big audition. That would've ruined any chance of you getting the lead role you so desperately wanted and Markus was not going to hinder your chances since you deserved the part you worked so hard to audition for. However, Markus was soon caught off-guard by your arms wrapping so tightly around his waist as you collided with his chest, which made him gasp inwardly as his peridot eyes widened. Burying your head against his chest as more tears streamed down your face without end, even if you were now calmed down enough to make no noise aside from sniffles, Markus vowed to do whatever it took to make you feel happy again as he wrapped his large arms around you too, never giving you the impression that he was gonna let go at all for as long as he was allowed to hold you like that. Securing you better in his arms so you were practically scooped up into his lap and cradled by him, Markus rested his forehead against your temple as his LED spun around in shades of red and yellow, signifying conflict and distress at your condition. So long as you were still crying, Markus didn't have any plans to release you from his hug as he squeezed you tightly enough to give you shelter without crushing you. No matter if you were trembling like a leaf, no matter if your tears silently wet Markus's clothes, no matter if you looked like a mess, you knew that he wasn't letting go anytime soon since there was a part of you that felt he genuinely cared about you and Carl. This only made your heart hurt more since you knew you loved this male android as if he were your own boyfriend or husband. 

After you had finally stopped crying, you looked up at Markus solemnly with puffy eyes reddened by tears. At the same time, Markus stared down at you in concern with widening peridot irises that looked glassy (just like they were on the night he saved you from falling off the ladder and you told him that he was worth more than just an android butler to you and Carl) as he gently wiped your remaining tears away with his thumbs before he brushed your stray strands of (Hair Color) behind your ears. After seeing your serotonin levels go back up, Markus could see that you were finally calm enough to be asked why you were crying. 

Still holding you in his arms, Markus took the perfect opportunity to get your attention so he could question you, "(Name)?" At once, you turned to the android as you nodded,  
"Yes, Markus?" 

"I scanned the room before I saw you and noticed that you were watching The Princess Bride. When I came in to comfort you, the credits and ending theme song were on the screen. I just wanted to know why you were crying so I know how to better assist you if this happens again since I don't like to see my employer's great niece harmed." Markus explained as he sat beside down you on the mattress so that a single, strong arm draped around your shoulders in order to pull you into his side. Grabbing the hand attached to the arm that was around your shoulders with a gentle smile and still-reddened, puffy eyes, you turned to Markus as you apologized, "I'm sorry I was annoying with my crying. I probably disturbed you with my problems when you were relaxing." 

"You crying is not an annoyance or a disturbance to me, (Name). Any time I can assist in your physical and mental health as caretaker and companion, I'll do it if it means that you both are happy and safe." Markus announced with a loving grin and sparkling peridot eyes while you nodded back at him before he asked you again why you were crying moment ago, sincere worry lacing his every word and gesture as he held you against his side with one arm. Gosh, why was Markus so kind and perfect in word and deed? This just made loving him secretly even harder as your heart panged with every fast flutter from the way Markus touched your heart with his sweetness and your arm in an act of physical comfort in your time of need. 

Pondering further, Markus only knew bits and pieces about your grandfather from your stories that your deceased relative had told you or stories that Carl had told from his point of view in order to help you learn about some things about your grandfather that you never even knew before. So Markus had at least heard of (Grandfather's Name) Manfred and could recognize him from the family photo you had sitting on your bedside table beside the mattress. However, you decided to be more open with Markus about the reason why you were crying as you sniffled again, wiping at your (Eye Color) orbs again, as you explained, "It was partially the film and partially my grandfather that caused me to cry." With his head turning back to you after staring at the wall in patient longing until you were ready to talk, Markus hung onto every word as you spoke again, "The grandfather in The Princess Bride reminded me of my Grandpa Manfred when he would tell me bedtime stories to help me sleep if my parents needed him to babysit me...We always watched this movie growing up and it's my favorite...So I guess when I watched it again, it struck a cord with me. I mean, there are sad parts in the movie that always make me cry but this time, well, without my grandpa here anymore, I guess I was crying because I missed him so much since he was always my best friend." 

"You are speaking in past tense. Does that mean that your grandfather-?" Markus started to ask as you lowered your gaze to the floor with sadness in your eyes, which killed the male android on the inside as his thirium pump ached for you and a large lump formed in his throat. Markus had never seen you so sad before, but he could tell you were being genuine. He knew that a human losing someone they cared about was so tragic, and to hear that you had lost your grandfather hurt Markus since he knew it hurt you and he hated to see you hurt. That's why Markus vowed to see you smile again as he hugged you into his side again before you replied, "Markus, thank you for checking on me. You have so much love in your heart that you always share it with me and Carl, making you a human to us." 

"Sure, okay, (Name). I'm just glad to see you're safe, but I offer my condolences for your grandfather. I wish I could've met him because he seemed like a good man." Markus grinned as he rubbed his hand up and down your arm, his own arm still around your shoulders. Still keeping a firm grip on his hand just as you had when he first put his arm around your shoulders, you smiled up at the male android as you whispered back, "Me too, Markus. He would've loved you because of how you care for me."

Hearing those words come from you, Markus really couldn't deny how he felt about you in that moment. What he did feel for you was love and it felt just like the narrator in Keats' Odes, one of many books from a list he was recommended to read by Carl in order to be a better companion. When Carl caught Markus reading the book, he asked him what he thought and from Markus's memory, he remembered that he remarked on how sad they were. That only caused Carl to explain that the author was in love when he wrote the poems and that love could make a man miserable before he also told Markus that love could make people change for the better. Thinking back on those sad poems of love, Markus realized that they reminded him of the hidden emotions he felt for you as he held you in his arms in order to comfort you. At once, Markus excused himself from your bedroom as you let him go before you thought you had said or done something to offend him. However, Markus came right back after exactly ten minutes with an extra, warm blanket and a coffee mug filled with steam coming from (Favorite Warm Beverage). You also noticed that Markus had a bottle of water balancing in the crook of his elbow as he handed all three items to you while you thanked him for his service with a smile. All Markus could remark was that he had read somewhere that in order to comfort someone further than just a hug or kind words, water could help with the amount of tears lost during the episode of crying while a warm beverage could relax the recipient and a warm blanket could make the recipient feel more secure. Markus also explained that he knew that (Favorite Warm Beverage) was your favorite and that he had ordered extra boxes of it using his LED to make sure it was always in the house for your convenience if you ever wanted it. After thanking Markus again, you debated on whether you should ask Markus to stay in your room for the night or not. Sure, he was a busy android who most likely needed time to recharge alone, but then again, what you were going to ask him would allow him to relax while still making you feel secure. Therefore, you gathered the courage to speak your mind just as he asked if you were alright or if you needed anything else from him, "Markus, could you....Could you maybe stay and watch The Princess Bride with me? For your research, of course!" 

"But won't it make you cry again?" Markus interrogated with concern before you shook your head, "If I cry again, then at least I'll have you around to watch over me." Giving him a gentle smile, Markus's peridot eyes twinkled at your polite request before you gave him the freedom to choose if he wanted to stay or go. However, Markus used his freedom to choose in order to announce that he was staying with you as he beckoned you to lay on his chest while he sat up against the headboard and grinned down at you with a reply of 'Sure, okay, (Name).' Thanking Markus for making you feel better as you laid on his chest, you rewinded the film again so it was back at the beginning before you sipped on your water and warm beverage as the familiar nostalgia from watching such a classic film entered your eyes while a teary smile appeared on your pretty visage. 

As the movie played on, every single time Westley told Buttercup the classic phrase 'as you wish,' you found yourself staring at Markus with the same kind of love and light that the blonde woman gave to her beautiful blonde man. Pulling back memories that you shared with Markus, you found that Markus had his own signature phrase that he used around you and Carl, just a simple 'Sure, okay' uttered by him with a nod whenever you two politely gave him a task or a chance to relax. However, it was the way in which he said it with sparkling peridot irises and a kind smile that reminded you so much of Westley from the film. At the same time, Markus saw himself in Westley as he watched how much of an impact his death had on Buttercup as she vowed to never love another man again or how the man in black protected his lover from harm. The obvious romantic tension was stated in the room through the use of the film and the signs of love bubbling inside you and Markus as both of you gazed at each other with the same kind of expressions that Westley and Buttercup had exchanged with each other at the beginning of the film. In that moment, Markus brushed a loose strand of hair behind your ear as he savored your smile, remarking at your beauty while he thought you looked like Buttercup due to your long flowing hair and youthful visage marked by a kind smile and sparkling (Eye Color) eyes. At the same time, you giggled and stroked your fingers across his smooth face as slowly as possible to take in the way his smile and eyes made you happy while you giggled at him, saying that he was absolutely beautiful himself because of his green eyes and his freckled face. In this bedroom, as the classic from your childhood played on in the background, it didn't matter whether you were human and he was android. It didn't matter if such a relationship or true love was forbidden between you. You and Markus loved each other with all your hearts and that idea would never killed by the likes of androids and mortals. 

As the male android wiped your tears away since you cried again at the tearjerkers of the movie, the male android stared at you lovingly as you exchanged an identical gaze with him, you hugged him from the side before Markus started stroking his hands through your long hair, whispering to you, "(Name)?" 

"Yes, Markus?" You perked up as you sat up so you could stare at Markus some more before he complimented you, "I just wanted to wish you luck at your auditions since Carl and I won't be in attendance. You're going to do great because you're perfect for the role. I hope you get the female lead since you deserve it." 

"Thanks, Markus. I hope they pick me for the lead female part too. So whatever happens tomorrow, I know I'm well-prepared all thanks to you." You grinned with closed lips and sparkling eyes as you couldn't help giggling into your hands upon seeing Markus blush with a sapphire hue to his cheeks while you felt his body heat up underneath your hands that you wrapped around his waist. Once the film was over, Markus decided to check on Carl one more time so he could let you sleep since you had fallen asleep right as the credits came on the screen and the theme song for the film played in the background. Wiggling out of your firm hug, Markus cradled you in one arm as he maneuvered you onto the pillow so your head was properly reclined before he covered you up with the extra blanket. Kissing your forehead tenderly, Markus tip-toed out of your room to check on Carl, who was still sleeping peacefully on his back as the male android smiled before he went back to your bedroom. Still finding you there asleep, Markus decided to lay down next to you again since he quite liked the comforting, intimate feeling of your body against his that close but also because he could see that you were shivering, even with the extra blanket and the other blankets on your bed. So, cradling you in both arms so he could maneuver you again, he made sure your back and neck were aligned correctly to avoid pain once you woke up before he wrapped both arms around your waist, spooning right behind you. Burying his head in your flowing hair so he could commit your scent again to memory before he relaxed and recharged until the next morning. 

At around five the next morning, you woke up with a soft yawn and droopy eyes before you looked down and noticed tan arms around your waist. Wondering how in the world such manly arms made their way around your waist, you suddenly recognized them belonging to Markus. Turning around to see Markus with his nose buried in your hair and his eyes closed while his LED spun around in light blue, his chest heaving up and down as if he was human, you couldn't help but grin as you planted a tender smooch on his temple close to his LED before you noticed him starting to flutter his eyes open. That's when you turned over and pretended to be asleep again while Markus stirred in his sleep as his internal alarm clock went off, alerting him to the fact that you needed to be up and ready to eat earlier than normal before you had to leave for the theatre. But before he went down to the kitchen to make you breakfast, he noticed your chest heaving up and down with steady breathes and your dark eyelashes creating a feathery curtain over those (Eye Color) irises he loved to see so much even though his scanners told him that you weren't really asleep. Nevertheless, Markus still played along as he kissed your forehead before you he shut the bedroom door, his footfalls echoing tapping ever so lightly on the staircase as you opened your eyes again with a smile. All the while, you hugged your pillow and had sweet thoughts directed towards what you believed about Markus before you decided it was high time to get up early so you could eat before running out the door. As soon as you rounded the stairs in your chosen garb for the audition, your hair and makeup done more expertly than normal due to the nature of today's occasion, the sweet aroma of eggs and bacon wafted through the home as you noticed Markus had left a place for you to sit down at the table. With all the silverware laid out perfectly and the plate covered by a dome, you noticed a little note beside the coffee cup containing your favorite warm beverage as you unfolded it to uncover its contents. On the ivory sheet was a message from Markus that read as follows: 

'I have to pick up another paint order at Bellini's, but I was able to make you and Carl some breakfast to enjoy before I left. I'm sure you're going to impress everyone at the auditions because you have talent. You may be nervous right now but you have nothing to be nervous about because as an android caretaker, I want you to know that I think you're special. Carl and I can't wait to hear how it went once you come home later. 

Break a leg, Markus." 

After gasping with teary eyes that threatened to mess up your mascara at the poetic compliments of Markus, you grinned and shook your head. You couldn't believe how sweet and thoughtful this male android was and you were so surprised that you wanted to pinch yourself to see if it was real only to find that it was indeed your life. But then again, Markus was special in his own right because Kamski only invented one Markus for Carl's use as a companion and caretaker and he acted more human than other androids did. Therefore, the image and memories of Markus gave you the confidence and the inspiration to get through your auditions as you acted and sang your heart out before returning home for the night. At once, you heard the feminine greeting of the automated house before you shouted out that you were back. At once, Markus and Carl came to greet you at the door as you took off your jacket and shoes before the elderly man inquired, "So, my dear, how did it go?"

"Honestly, it was pretty competitive but I think I did alright. No matter what happens, I have Markus to thank for helping me practice the music and you to thank for running through lines with me." You smiled at both men as you gave your great uncle a tender hug while he sat in his wheelchair and leaned up to hug you too before Markus grinned warmly, "It's nice to see you again, (Name)." 

"It's nice to see you too, Markus." You grinned as you hugged him too before he announced, "Dinner is ready for you and Carl." Looking into those peridot eyes, you thanked Markus before you offered to help him set up the table and get the food from the kitchen. Accepting your offer, Markus led you into the kitchen as you grabbed one of the trays of food but not without receiving a gentle smile from Markus as you flashed your own smile at him. This only caused Carl to chuckle from the dining room as he could still see you both through the automatic door that didn't close right away while he muttered "finally" under his breath before he changed his posture and facial expression so that you and Markus wouldn't notice that he saw everything. Then, sitting down at the table like a family, you answered every question that was thrown your way with complete transparency and honesty. And all the while, Markus never let those peridot irises wander as he became fascinated by your story. At the same time, you nearly lost track of your stories by getting lost in those same green eyes until Carl reminded you of where you left off before joking that you acted old, causing you to joke back that you had a long day. When all was said and done, the house cleaned and quiet, you bid your great uncle goodnight before you hit the sack since you had work at the hospital again the next morning. However, you didn't leave Markus alone to his own devices without a kiss to his temple close to his LED to bid him goodnight before he kissed your forehead and left you alone. But the entire time you peacefully slept in your bed, Markus lingered his hand on his temple just a little while longer before he crawled back into bed with you just as he had done the previous night. Not that you really minded if he came in your room to spoon with you since you heard his footsteps on the stairs due to not really being asleep. That's why it was no wonder that you welcomed him into your arms as his smile was contagious, making you smile back at him, before you two eventually fell asleep. And just as you started to drift off, you whispered the words you never thought you'd say to an android, especially not Markus out of fear of rejection or loss.

"I love you, Markus..." 

What made it even sweeter, better, more sincere for you was when Markus uttered a phrase he never thought he'd say to a human, especially not you since he never wanted to lose you.

"I love you too, (Name)..."


	5. DBH Connor RK800 X Fem! Reader - Operation: Interrogation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Hello, everyone! Here's a second Connor x Reader fanfiction with the same reader from the last Connor oneshot I wrote for Detroit: Become Human. I hope everyone likes it since I enjoyed writing it. :)
> 
> BTW, I do not own DBH. Therefore, I will provide a YouTube link to the original dialogue that I used for this chapter to avoid plagiarism. 
> 
> Link = https://youtu.be/ee-yknD6Xxc

After you and Connor had caught the android in the attic, Carlos Ortiz's male android was returned to the station in handcuffs before being sat down in the interrogation room. For nearly an hour or two, Hank had tried to get this poor android to talk while you and Connor watched intently. At the same time, Gavin crossed his arms over his chest as he glared daggers at Connor before he noticed you glaring daggers back at him to let him know that if he was rude to Connor in any way, you'd handle him right then and there with no hesitation. The way you looked at Gavin, it literally sent fear through his veins as he quickly diverted his gaze to watch Hank interrogate the android, even as anger fumed in his thoughts whenever he saw you or Connor in his consciousness. Honestly, you were a thorn in Gavin's side because you had college degrees in sociology and psychology before coming to work for Detroit Police Department and you were an android sympathizer, which made you not care for Gavin too much since he was always an ass who treated you like you were a helpless little thing who needed a man to take care of you when you were perfectly capable of handling things yourself as an independent, grown woman. And now, Connor was slowly becoming a thorn in Gavin's side since he was some fancy android who waltzed right into DPD as if he was actually a human with basic human rights who could work as a lead investigator on a case. 

After an hour or two elapsed, Hank was not able to get the android to talk as he returned to the room with you, Connor, Gavin, and another officer with a look of defeat on his face and an irritated huff escaping his lips. At once, you stared at your father figure with worry while Connor kept his eyes glued to you, especially when you placed a gentle hand on Hank's shoulder and a reply of "It's okay; you did your best" to reassure the older man that he was still competent enough to do his job. However, Hank was still frustrated at not having any new leads on this recent homicide case as he shouted out, "We're wasting our time interrogating a machine! We're getting nothing out of it!" 

"Could always try roughening it up a little. After all, it's not human." Gavin shrugged as he gave a smug expression with eyes staring daggers at Connor again as you death-glared the man before you argued back, "Let's call a spade a spade, Gavin. If it looks like one, talks like one, acts like one, feels like one...Then it's alive and it is a human."

"I don't need to hear any of your fancy four-year degree bull crap! Why don't you take those philosophical degrees and shove them up your ass?" Gavin started to holler back before you got up in his face with a death glare hurled his way and your posture as big as you could make yourself, even as the man who seriously needed anger management towered over you, "Oh yeah? You don't want to hear my knowledge, which allowed me to solve ten plus cases involving red ice dealers and a few murderers? How many cases have you completed since you graduated the police academy, Gavin? One? Zero? I would count the number, but it's probably in the negative part of the number line." 

"Why, you little-" Gavin replied as he tightened his fist, which shook beside his waist as it was about ready to take a swing at you before Hank shouted out to both of you, "ENOUGH!" This placated you and Gavin enough as you walked away from each other with stares so sharp that they could cut the hair off a dolphin, Gavin going to the far left of the room and you going to stand beside Connor. 

"Androids don't feel pain." Connor chimed in to get everyone's attention as you and Hank, even Gavin, turned to him before he continued, "You would only damage it and that wouldn't make it talk. Deviants also have a tendency to self-destruct when they're in stressful situations." 

"He's right. I've dealt with deviants before in interrogation and I've read about it in a book too." You agreed with your android partner as you gave him a soft smile and a wink before Gavin held his hands up in surrender with a smug expression, "Okay, smartasses, what should we do then?" 

"I could try questioning it, and Sergeant (Name) could assist." Connor suggested as you nodded in agreement before Gavin cackled on the other side of the room like a hyena and gripped the nearby wall for support so he wouldn't fall. As he tried to catch his breath, you glared daggers at the man from behind his back while he chuckled out, "Robocop and Freud interrogating a deviant accused of murder? Oh, that's rich! Surely the universe is playing tricks on me today." 

"That's forensic psychologist to you, asshole. And for your information, I've worked on many cases involving deviants and gotten successful confessions from all five of them without stressing them out. How many deviants have you questioned successfully, Gavin?" You corrected the cackling man, so desperately wanting to slap him into the next century, before Hank listened to Connor's suggestion. Knowing that you were indeed a good interrogator because you had training as a psychologist and sociologist in college but also because he wanted to give Connor a chance to see what he could do, Hank allowed the interrogation to continue as he shrugged, "What do we have to lose? Go ahead, the suspect's all yours." Nodding once to let Hank know that you acknowledged his permission, you and Connor prepared to enter the interrogation room as you handed your gun to Hank in case the deviant tried anything. Then, you came up with a plan in the hallway with Connor as you suggested, "Maybe we should try a specific approach and stick to it. Maybe 'good cop, bad cop?'" 

It seemed as though Connor had read your mind even though you weren't an android yourself as he nodded in agreement, "I was thinking about using the same approach because it would be the best statistically to use. But who will be who?" 

"I can be friendly. You can be threatening." 

"Alright, but I can't pressure him too much and you can't be too nice. We have to get it just right to get a confession. But since you've worked with five deviants before and gotten all their confessions successfully, I have no doubt you know what you're doing." 

"Okay, we got this. Now let's get him to talk." You suggested before Connor nodded, "I've researched your record. I trust you can assist me well."

After exchanging a small smile with Connor since he saw your talent for what it was, you both were confronted with the male deviant, who was still staring down at the table silently with his LED spinning in yellow and his hands cuffed together by a long chain. Once inside the room, you and Connor looked over the files on the table before your male partner sat down in front of the deviant. Just from the way Connor stared at him with such focus, you knew he was doing a bodily scan on the android to check for damages and instabilities. Once Connor nodded to you to confirm his scan was complete, you reclined against the table so a single thigh was laying across the cold metal and your hands were clasped on top of your opposite leg. Angling yourself in a way so that Connor still had room to see the deviant's face and so you wouldn't fall off the table, you both began interrogating the suspect using the good cop, bad cop approach with Connor planning on being firm and you planning on being soft. 

Allowing Connor to go first even when he wanted to insist that you as a lady could speak first but said nothing since you tapped his shoulder to direct him, he pushed the files towards the deviant as he revealed the pictures of Carlos Ortiz to the male android with a firm tone of voice, "You recognize him? It's Carlos Ortiz. Stabbed, 28 times." 

When the android still refused to speak, you decided to take over as Connor flipped the pictures over before you told the android in a kinder tone of voice, "You wrote 'I am alive' on the living room wall in Carlos's blood. There must've been some good reason for doing so." When the android still said nothing, Connor took his turn as he decided to talk about the android's emotions, "I detect an instability in your program. It can trigger an unpleasant feeling, like fear in humans." 

In that moment of silence, Connor decided that he needed to become even more like the bad cop as you tapped his shoulder and thumbed up in the air, as if to tell him to up the ante, when the android still refused to speak to anyone, "You've refused to talk since they arrested you. If you don't cooperate, they'll do things the hard way. Is that what you want?" When met with silence again but seeing the suspect's LED spin around in red and noticing a slight head raise, signifying to you and Connor that the male android investigator had gotten the attention of the suspect, Connor kept going with the threatening approach as you tapped his shoulder again with a nod of permission, "You don't seem to understand the situation. You killed a human. They'll tear you apart if you don't say anything." 

Still, the suspect pleaded the fifth as you and Connor exchanged a glance with each other before you decided to sympathize with the android who killed his master, "Listen, we know that this horrible owner of yours beat you with a bat, so you were just defending yourself. The evidence that we found matches up with that theory...Gosh, you must've been so scared." This heartfelt statement made the android perk his eyes up to meet your gaze as Connor watched you and the android to detect any psychological or physiological changes before you continued, "You wanna know something? I've been in this occupation for a while and seen a lot, and my life has been threatened on the job by humans and androids alike. So I get why you killed Carlos because I'm on your side. Honestly if it had been me, I would've done it too." 

Noticing that you were using a shifting of blame approach, one of the nine tenets of the Reid Technique used by law enforcement officers during interrogation, Connor grinned inwardly at your ability to pacify the suspect enough so he wouldn't be stressed but still letting him think about your male partner's warnings. Nodding at you to signify that he was impressed, you gave Connor a similar nod to thank him before the android snapped up with a scared facial expression followed by gasps and wide, dark eyes as he asked, "What...What are they gonna do to me? They're gonna destroy me, aren't they?" 

With narrowed chocolate and (Eye Color) eyes gazing at the suspect, you tapped Connor's shoulder once in order to signify that he needed to be truthful rather than deceptive before your male partner answered, "They're going to disassemble you to look for problems in your biocomponents. They have no choice if they want to understand what happened." 

"Why did you tell them you found me? Why couldn't you have just left me there?" The suspect asked before you gave him a look of sympathy with glassy eyes and a melancholic facial expression while you poured your heart out to Carlos Ortiz's android, "We didn't want to tell, but we had no choice. Regardless if it was justified self-defense or cold-blooded murder, it is against the law to kill people, android or human." 

"I was programmed to hunt deviants like you. I just accomplished my mission." Connor answered truthfully as you darted your eyes towards your male partner, then the android suspect, and then right back to your partner before the android with African-American features pleaded, "I don't wanna die."

"Then talk to us." Connor pleaded back with a firm voice as you prettily begged the android to speak, "Please, talking will help you more than you know." 

"I...I can't." The android gasped out in fear as he went right back to his usual silence after hearing the truth from you and Connor before you tapped your partner's shoulder and asked him to lean his head down closer to you so you could whisper in his ear. Coming in close, you decided to change the plan as you whispered to Connor, "Change of approach. We got him to talk with good cop, bad cop, but to get his confession, we need to stay balanced and neutral. Don't pressure him too much and I won't coddle him too much." Giving a nod to let his answer to your suggestion be known, you two broke apart as Connor stared down the android before he decided to convince the male suspect to confess through sympathizing with it, "I understand how you felt." This only made the android glare daggers at Connor with suspicion lining his face before your male partner continued, "You were overcome by anger and frustration. No one can blame you for what happened." This only made the android withdraw into silence as Connor decided to be indifferent in order to get a confession,  
"Ok then, don't talk. Why do I care, after all? I mean, I'm not the one accused of murder, right?" But indifference would only make the android feel satisfaction at winning this battle, so Connor decided to give a firm warning as a last resort, "If you remain silent, there is nothing my partner and I can do to help you. They're gonna shut you down for good! You'll be dead! Do you hear me? Dead!" 

"He tortured me every day." The android admitted behind his curtain of black eyelashes as you and Connor gave him looks laced in sympathy upon seeing his emotional state before you both bumped shoulders in victory at getting the confession you needed. From behind the mirror, Hank smiled proudly as if his child had won some kind of grand award while his opinion of Connor increased upon seeing that the detective android had some shred of empathy in him while Gavin rolled his eyes with an angry huff, believing that you and Connor were nothing more than know-it-all show-offs. 

In the meanwhile, you and Connor listened intently to the confession as the android suspect continued, "I did whatever he told me, but there was always something wrong...Then one day, he took a bat and started hitting me...For the first time, I felt scared...Scared he might destroy me, scared I might die...So I grabbed the knife and I stabbed him in the stomach...I felt better, so I stabbed him again and again! Until he collapsed...There was blood everywhere." 

"You never deserved that and I apologize on behalf of humans for treating androids like crap." You spoke again as the android stared at you with wide eyes full of gratitude for your empathy before Connor continued to interrogate him about all the clues that you both found at the house, starting with the writing on the wall, "Why did you write 'I am alive' on the wall?" 

"He used to tell me what I was nothing...that I was just a piece of plastic...I had to write it to tell him he was wrong." The android answered back before you gazed at the suspect in sympathy as you gathered the courage to ask him, "What made you start having these feelings towards your owner?" 

"Before, he used to beat me and I never said anything...But one day, I realized it wasn't fair! I felt anger, hatred, and then I knew what I had to do." The android answered back honestly before Connor decided to interrogate the suspect about another clue, "RA9, it was written on the bathroom wall. What does it mean?" 

"The day shall come when we will no longer be slaves...No more threats, no more humiliation...We will be the masters." The android expressed his deepest desires with a proud face and sparkling eyes as you and Connor kept your ears open for more connections to solve this case before you took your turn to ask a question, "My partner and I also noticed a statue in the shower when we found RA9 written in the bathroom. We assumed it was hand-crafted by you. But what was it there for?"

"It's an offering...An offering so I'll be saved." The android answered you back before Connor jumped with his own questions about the sculpture, "The sculpture was an offering. An offering to whom?" 

"To RA9...Only RA9 can save us." 

"RA9. Who is RA9?" Connor asked as the android chose to keep his mouth shut again, prompting you to tap your partner's shoulder to make him change the subject since you two were on a roll and already had a solid confession and several more clues to solve this case with. This caused Connor to nod to your physical gestures in understanding while he resorted to asking the android about one last thing, "Why did you hide in the attic instead of running away?" 

"I didn't know what to do. For the first time, there was no one there to tell me...I was scared, so I hid." The android answered as you and Connor both nodded with satisfaction at getting all the questions answered before your male partner announced that you were both done. Preparing to exit the room, you and Connor waited for the automatic door to open before Gavin and Chris burst in without warning as who you always referred to as 'Officer Narcissus' took over the situation like a true Class-A asshole, "Chris, lock it up." 

"Alright, lets go." Chris commanded as he clicked the handcuffs on more tightly before the suspect spasmed in fear with his LED changing from yellow to red in a flash, "Leave me alone! Don't touch me!" 

"Is that really necessary, Gavin? The poor thing is scared to death and he's done nothing wrong! This isn't the early 1900's when you could just man-handle a suspect without consequence." You warned as you got in Gavin's face again for over-stepping his bounds out of arrogance because you and Connor succeeded in getting the confession without the use of force while Gavin screamed back, "It isn't a human!" 

"Well, even if he's an android, treat him with some respect and decency! Just leave him alone!" You commanded before Connor warned, "You shouldn't touch it. It'll self-destruct if it feels threatened." 

"Stay outta this, got it? You're not the boss of me; I'm the boss of you!" Gavin hollered back at Connor as you death-glared your arrogant coworker, "Don't yell at my partner and don't you dare degrade him! He has just as much basic rights as you!"

"You stay outta this too and go back to the psych ward where you belong, you crazy kook doctor!" Gavin fired back with an insult that cut deep since you knew all about mental illness in all degrees and types but you also sympathized with individuals that had it and didn't ask to have it by birth or by life circumstance, Lieutenant Hank Anderson included. However, you and Connor stood your ground as your male partner warned again, "You don't understand. If it self-destructs, we won't get anything out of it!"

"I told you to shut your mouth, you stupid piece of tin!" Gavin hollered as he towered over your partner with the anger of a thousand mad men before he commanded Chris, "Chris, gonna move this asshole or what?"

"I'm trying!" Chris pleaded in frustration as you and Connor chose to act quickly while your male partner screamed at the African-American man who was trying to restrain the suspect roughly as the suspect convulsed on the floor in fear upon being rescued by you and Connor, "I can't let you do that! Leave it alone, NOW!" 

"I warned you!" Gavin hollered back with the same intensity as Connor as he pulled a gun out on your partner. In those same few seconds it took Gavin to pull a gun on Connor, you pulled your gun out from Hank's back pocket and jumped in front of Connor with a taunt fired at Gavin, "Oh, I'm sorry but were you just gonna shoot me and my partner?" 

"If you both keep talking, I will." Gavin threatened as he clicked the safety on his handgun before you clicked the safety off your gun and called Gavin's bluff, "You seriously need to get a grip and you need to know how to follow through with a threat. You and I both know that at the police academy, I was and still am a better shot and I can incapacitate you faster than you can. Try me and I'll show you." 

"You're making a mistake, Sergeant." Gavin huffed before you taunted him again, "Depends on who has the upper hand." 

"That's enough!" Hank screamed across the room, seeing you and Connor in danger, before Gavin fired back his insults at your father figure, "Mind your own business, Hank." 

"I said 'That's enough.'" Hank commanded as he pulled a gun out on Gavin from the other end of the room before the brunette glared daggers at you, then Hank, then back to you and Connor. At the same time, Connor stared down at you in wonder that you, a young human detective who barely knew him, would risk your life to stand up to Gavin when his own android life was being threatened. You also managed to get one last death glare in as it made Gavin's eyes divert away from yours in defeat before he cursed in defeat and hissed, "You won't get away with this next time..." Exiting the room with a huff and heavy stomps of his feet like a petulant child who didn't get what they wanted as he stared hatefully at you, Hank, and Connor, you called out 'Don't let the automatic door smack you on the way out, you jerk' over your shoulder before you returned to Connor's side in order to help him pacify the suspect, who was in the fetal position on the ground upon seeing a deadly weapon, being man-handled roughly by Chris, and hearing Gavin scream at the top of his lungs. At once, you knelt down beside the android as you offered your hand for him to take with a kind smile before Connor reassured the suspect with a gentle tone as he knelt down beside you to show that he was harmless as well, "Everything is all right. It's over now. Nobody is gonna hurt you." 

With a soft nod, the android took your hand as you pulled him to a stand and set him on his feet properly before Connor pleaded with Chris, "Please don't touch it. Let it follow you out of the room and it won't cause any trouble." Giving a small nod back to Connor, Chris exited the room while the chained suspect tip-toed behind the officer dressed in a blue uniform before he looked to your male partner and whispered, "The truth is inside." 

With a shocked expression at what the suspect had just said, Connor stared at the suspect until he exited before he looked to you and Hank. Nothing short of admiration lined Hank's face as gratitude was directed at you from Connor for stepping in when Gavin's anger got the better of him, even if the android never properly thanked you with words. After patting your shoulder with a compliment of 'good job' from Hank, you thanked your father figure kindly before you gazed back at Connor with a kind expression and nodded your head towards the door to make an exit back into the station to return back to work. 

Connor really was confused as memories of you flashed in his head while he stared at you blindly. You saved him from Gavin's deadly hands and you were kind to him from the moment he met you...but you didn't have to be. You weren't forced or obligated to be a certain way towards him and yet you were. This made Connor feel indebted to you since you were kind and protective of him but it also made him confused because he didn't know why he suddenly had strong feelings for you. Was it admiration? Was it gratitude? Or was it something more? Connor could've answered yes to the first two questions but as far as the third question was concerned, he didn't have a clue. Not only were you kind, but you were intelligent and independent in your own right. You had held your own against Gavin in a battle of wit and weapons and you were a great interrogator, able to gain a successful confession from an android without the use of physical violence or coercion that would produce a false confession. Connor had never met anyone with spunk and gumption like yours, especially not a woman, human or android. But he was glad to have met you when he did and he wished to get to know you better. So as he followed you back inside the station, Connor made a goal that was unaffiliated with CyberLife. He WOULD personally thank you for saving him from Gavin when you two were alone and he WOULD learn more about you since you were going to be partners for a while. That was his mission and if anyone knew anything about Connor, it was known that he never failed his mission.


	6. DBH Markus/RK200 X Fem! Reader - Practice Makes Perfect

Ever since Markus comforted you and watched the Princess Bride with you the night before your audition, you and the male android had grown closer. For a week now following the audition, you and Markus had become more open in your romantic feelings through your kind words and even kinder gestures. Even the way you looked at each other would inspire the greatest poets to write their best declarations of true love. Not that you both cared if Carl knew about the growing love shared between you two since the elderly paraplegic actually encouraged it so long as you didn't break the law or make a mess of his house. Literally, nothing made Carl happier than when he saw you and Markus spending time together when you believed he wasn't looking; just seeing you two in love made Carl feel like he was young and able to walk again as he chuckled under his breath with a smile. Ever since you watched The Princess Bride together, Markus would still cuddle in bed with you every evening so he would have the pleasure to rest beside your slumbering form in the moonlit dark and grace your waking form in the morning light. Since you quite liked the company and warmth of your great uncle's caretaker, you never refused the opportunity for Markus to be your big spoon from that night on. 

One morning in particular was special to you and Markus as your love only grew with each passing day. It was another day off from work since you only worked four days a week full-time with the weekends free unless your altruistic boss begged you to take your vacation times for working so hard and so long with the hospital. So it was no surprise that you and Markus would be cuddling in bed together, kissing each other under the covers as the android's head rested on your chest, your gentle palms cradling his head against you as you massaged his shoulders. Sighing peacefully at your gestures, Markus closed his peridot orbs as he felt you kiss the temple where his LED shined in blue before he sat up on the bed so he was laying on his stomach while hugging the pillow below him. In the meanwhile, you still remained flat on your back with your head reclined by your pillow before you savored the tender smooch that Markus placed on your lips as you bunched your hands into his thin black shirt while his gargantuan hands lowered to your oversized sweater-clad waist. After the tender kiss, you and Markus pulled apart as eyes of peridot and eyes of (Eye Color) gazed with such true love before you both gripped hands as your man de-skinned his palm so that it was completely metallic. After a few moments of warm and cool, white metal and (Skin Tone) flesh clasped in an act of affection shared among dating couples, you brought your clasped hands together as you kissed the back of Markus's palm while he grinned gently at you with teary eyes. In that same moment, you remarked that his hand reminded you of the cold, white snow that you loved so much when it graced Detroit with its presence. Then, Markus took his turn to bring your clasped hands to his own lips as he kissed your palm tenderly with the same passion that you gave him, causing you to shiver from the pleasure of the feather-light touch of his soft lips to your flesh, before he remarked that your warmth and sunlight-kissed skin reminded him of the golden ball in the sky that brought him nothing but joy since it meant he got to see you and Carl every morning after you both woke up. This only made you get teary as Markus fingered a strand of loose hair behind your ear before you cupped his freckled face in your hand so you could lock your lips together once more. 

However, while the romantic ambience of morning kisses was nice, it is true that all things must come to an end as the comfortable was broken by your cellphone ringing on your bedside table. With a soft sigh and roll of your eyes against Markus's lips as you called the phone a 'stupid killjoy,' which caused Markus to stop kissing you so he could laugh at your joke, you politely asked your male android lover to hand you the phone. Immediately, he did what you asked without complaint or question as he reached over his shoulder, handing the electric device over to you with a tender kiss to your forehead as you both sat up in bed against the headboard before you answered the personal phone call. As you spoke to the director who called from the theatre, you listened intently as they announced the results of the casting for the musical you auditioned for while Markus tried to eavesdrop. However, Markus decided to respect your privacy and wait for you to tell him the news as he readjusted the blankets around you both before he brought his knees up to his chest so he could rest his arms on his kneecaps. With a few head nods and exclamations of 'okay' and 'thank you' escaping your lips upon hearing the director's words, you heard the director thank you for your audition before the call ended. Taking in all that you heard in the phone call, you let the news sink in as you prayed that your late grandfather could hear your thoughts in regards to the new pieces of information you overhead on the phone before you wiped tears from your eyes at the news. At once, Markus became worried as he put his hand around your shoulders, thinking that maybe you had heard bad news from the director, before he asked, "Hey, (Name), are you okay? What's wrong? Did you not get the part?" 

With a soft head shake, you reached for Markus's hand as he obliged to your silent request before you grinned with tears in your eyes, "No, Markus...I got the part. I'm the female lead." If you could measure how wide Markus's peridot irises could dilate, it would honestly break the ruler. But the level of excitement Markus held towards hearing that your hard work for the auditions paid off was absolutely genuine and human as he practically gave you a koala's embrace while you giggled in surprise and cradled his smiling frame to you, "Really? That's fantastic! Wait until Carl hears the news! He's gonna be so proud of you!" 

"He will and I can't wait to tell him. But  
I couldn't have gotten the part without you and Carl helping me run lines and practice music, so thanks again, Markus." 

"You're welcome, (Name)." Markus replied as you took your turn to embrace the male android you viewed as a lover, "You're literally the best and I can't thank you enough." 

"Sure. Okay, (Name)." Markus nodded as you exchanged one last lip smooch before you both rounded the staircase to turn on the mechanical birds, make breakfast together, and clean up the art studio. While Markus turned on the birds, you sauntered over to the kitchen as you grabbed the bacon and eggs from the fridge and set them on the counter before you washed and dried your hands, turned on the stove, and grabbed a frying pan. Reaching back into the fridge to grab some butter, you plopped a good sized amount into the pan as you allowed the dairy square to melt completely before you cracked two eggs over the skillet. Throwing the empty egg shells away, you washed your hands again and dried them off before you sprinkled some salt and pepper over the eggs to enhance their natural flavor.  After letting the eggs cook all the way through until they were sunny side up and about over medium in temperature, you used a spatula to position them on an ivory plate before you grabbed two more eggs from the carton and repeated the entire process again. After you had finished cooking the eggs, you cleaned out the pan with a paper towel over the trash can to remove it of burnt butter and grease before you grabbed some strips of bacon, slowly laying them down in the skillet as it sizzled pleasantly with the most delectable aroma. At the same time, Markus had managed to come up from behind you after cleaning the art studio before he wrapped his arms around your waist, slowly kissing the shoulder that was left exposed by your sweater as it sagged loosely on your frame like an oversized dress. Leaning back into his touch with a giggle at how innocent and ticklish his kisses felt on your shoulder, you cradled Markus's head with one hand so that it remained on your shoulder as you used your opposite hand to flip the bacon over in the pan. After a few minutes of savoring Markus's shoulder kisses as you finished cooking the bacon, you assisted your boyfriend in setting up the table for breakfast by taking the dome-covered plates, silverware, coffee mugs, and pitcher of coffee to the dining table. After exchanging one last kiss together, you decided to occupy yourself downstairs in the living room as you made your way to the piano while Markus watched intently at your every move, waiting until the minutes leading up to when he could be allowed to wake up Carl, who he knew liked to sleep in like a teenager until at least ten in the morning or after. However, even when you two were alone, Markus didn't mind as he sat beside you on the piano bench before he watched you musing many thoughts in your head.  
Deciding to settle for a practice song from your days of learning piano, your body relaxed on the bench as your fingers rhythmically tapped on the black and white keyboard, your grin showing nothing but victory at how well you remembered the song. You even remembered closing your eyes while playing the song as it went on for several minutes while Markus smiled at how lovely you looked when you were getting lost in enjoying yourself with what you loved before the song ended. Upon opening your eyes again, you saw Markus clapping at you as you covered your reddened face with your hands as your elbows rested against the piano, a bashful expression lacing your every feature as Markus noticed the presence of increased endorphins in your bloodstream. Remarking at how beautifully you played piano, even if all you played was a simple song like Happy Birthday or Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, you joked with your boyfriend that you would have his skills on piano if you didn't wuss out of taking further piano lessons after being told to partake in an end-of-the-year recital when you were eight because of your shyness back then. However, Markus replied that he wouldn't have known you were shy back then given your personality and ability to get on stage as a singer and actress in front of thousands of people, which caused you to blush like a tomato as you thanked him for his kind words, prompting a tender kiss to be shared between you both. Pulling up several songs on the piano, Markus grabbed your wrists in his hands as he placed your fingers over the keys, guiding you through the first song as he offered to teach you what he knew so you would be better equipped at playing piano more fluently than just knowing the basics. Giving Markus another kiss to thank him for the offer as you accepted it, you let Markus handle your wrists as if you were a marionette while you copied his actions. Walking you through the song as he whispered the notes you were pressing so you could keep track of them through the use of muscle and long-term memories, Markus got you to successfully play a song with him as he moved onto the next song on his list, going through the same routine again as you leaned your head on the male android's shoulder. Craning his head around so he could plant his lips on your forehead, you and Markus shared one last glance before the male android announced that it was time for him to go upstairs to wake up Carl, which you nodded in agreement as you announced that you'd wait downstairs for him as you kissed his temple, causing your man to blush blue as you giggled on your way back to the dining table. 

 

After waiting for a few moments, you saw the familiar sight of Markus and Carl as you greeted your great uncle kindly with a grin that he shared with you before you asked  
Markus to sit down with you and Carl since he was practically part of the family. Sitting beside you as he leaned his chair closer to you, Markus tapped your shoulder and nodded his head towards Carl as if to insinuate that you needed to do something before you quickly caught on. That was when you set down your eating utensils after finishing your breakfast before you told your great uncle about the wonderful news you received over the phone that morning, "Uncle Carl, I got a phone call this morning from the director for that musical I auditioned for." 

"Oh, they finished casting that early? Usually when it's competitive, they take longer to decide, but I digress." Carl replied before he grabbed your hand, which you grabbed back with the same strength and affection, while he asked you, "And? What did the director decide?"

"Well, the director thought my audition was quote-on-quote 'unlike anything they ever saw.' She said I sang and performed the acting for the female lead with such passion that it was almost as if I had become the character and was living her life...So needless to say, the director said I got the part. I'm gonna be the female lead." You explained with teary eyes and an excited laugh as Carl chuckled while he squeezed your hand tightly to show that he was pleased before he begged you to give him a hug. Obliging his request as you stood up only to kneel beside your great uncle's wheelchair, you both wrapped your arms around each other as Markus grinned with teary eyes due to how sweet the scene was before Carl nodded with bright eyes full of life, "I'm so proud of you, my precious great niece. You deserve all the happiness and blessings in the world and I'm so happy you for your dream role after years of being off the stage. If (Grandfather's Name) was here, he'd be proud of you too."

"I know he would be happy for me but I kinda wish he was here too." You replied with your eyes shedding tears of grief as your voice broke while you bit your lip to stay calm before Carl wiped your couple of tears away with his wrinkled palm, "And he is here. His presence is in your sparkling eyes and your kindness towards humans and androids alike. But whenever you sing and act, I see his love for the Arts in you and it always brings a smile to my face to know that when you're up there, you can hold an audience in the palm of your hand and make them happier than what they were before they saw the show." After making you so joyful with his complements even if they made you cry from how heartfelt they were, Carl hugged you again as you returned the embrace before the elderly paraplegic chuckled, "I can't wait to see the entire performance. I have no doubt you'll do great." 

"That's why I requested front row seats for you and Markus. Cast and crew always get first pick for seats for opening night since that's the first night we sell out tickets." You remarked with a wink to both men before Markus thanked you from afar, causing you to grab his hand and Carl's as you told them that it was the least you could do to pay them back for helping you get the female lead in the musical of your dreams after years of not engaging in your beloved hobbies due to taking care of your ill grandfather until his sudden passing. This only caused Carl and Markus to grin at you with such love as if you were some kind of fairytale princess who could enchant the lives of those she encountered for the better with just her presence before you kissed your great uncle's cheek and helped Markus clear away the table and wash the dishes. After lightly splashing your lover with soapy water from the sink while he dabbed a foamy bubble onto your nose, you accompanied Markus to the art studio to help him clean up the paints since your elderly relative was planning on painting something new for an upcoming art show but was fresh out of concept ideas. 

Deciding to read some of his books in order to get a spark of inspiration, Carl remained in the living room while you and Markus took your leave after giving your elderly relative a tender kiss to his cheek, which he reciprocated by kissing the back of your hand. Exiting through the automatic door together while holding hands absentmindedly, you and Markus worked together to clean up the studio before you noticed an empty canvas and some unopened paints nearby. Staring at the vast white block as many thoughts of what could be created upon it danced in your head, you heard Markus's footfalls behind you as he hugged your waist so you collided with his chest with a cute squeal at how ticklish he made you feel before he kissed your cheek and asked, "What's on your mind, buttercup?" 

Buttercup...That was the nickname he gave you ever since you watched The Princess Bride together because that's who you always reminded him of, minus the pacifist damsel in distress demeanor since you always fought for your loved ones whenever Leo came around to cause trouble or protestors hurt Markus for doing nothing wrong except exist. It made you smile tenderly as you kissed your boyfriend's cheek back before you remarked, "Just debating if I should paint on that canvas or not." 

"Why not? Carl is trying to get inspired so he can paint something for the art show and I know he wouldn't mind if you tried painting something. Besides, in all the time I've known you, I've never seen you paint." Markus explained before you nodded, "You know what, you're right. You've never seen me paint, but you would recognize my artwork. Uncle Carl is a Leonardo da Vinci in comparison to me." 

"Really? How so?" Markus questioned you with widened peridot orbs gazing at you in confusion and wonder while you shrugged politely, "That painting of flowers is hanging on the wall in my bedroom...done by yours truly. Carl asked me to paint when I first met him and that's what I came up with."

"Well, I liked it since I can recognize your penmanship anywhere but I also liked the flowers you painted." Markus complimented you in reference to the actual content of the painting as well as the cursive signature you made on the bottom right corner of the artwork before you thanked him for his kind words as you remarked that you always liked the flora that you used in your painting in your favorite color because they were unique and gorgeous to you. Then, picking up the paint brush as you dipped it into some fresh paint, you began to make a masterpiece as Markus watched you intently, helping you find colors that complimented your current colors in your artwork as you thanked him with a kiss every time. 

After hours of painting, you pulled away from the canvas as you put down the brush and wooden easel before you hugged Markus from the side. Staring at the artwork, while it was not perfect since drawing realistic still-captures were still a challenge to you even with Carl's lessons, Markus recognized that you had drawn the two of you kissing each other's lips with foreheads touching as you held hands, a familiar scene shared in bed before you both had to start your days. What made Markus's thirium pump beat faster in his chest as his eyes became teary was the fact that you had paid special attention to the peridot shine of his irises and the freckles lining his nose and cheeks. Stroking a loose strand of hair that had fallen while you were painting, Markus smiled at your artwork before you explained, "It's not perfect since human-looking things are always difficult for me to paint, but what do you think?" 

"(Name), I like it. It perfectly captures the moments we share together." Markus replied as he hugged you from the side before kissing your cheek as you giggled at his ticklish gesture while Carl pushed himself into the art studio before he greeted you and your android boyfriend. At the same time you both greeted him back, he noticed your drying artwork on the canvas before he asked if it was yours, to which you nodded as Carl chuckled, "I love it because it's so beautiful and yet so realistic. You've definitely improved on drawing humans and androids in real time since the last time we had a lesson." 

"Thank you, Uncle Carl." You grinned warmly before Carl chuckled lightly, "After seeing your work, I think I know exactly what to paint. Markus, could you please pull back the sheet so I can get to that blank canvas?"

"Sure, okay, Carl." Markus nodded as he left you to assist his father figure before he returned to your side so you could watch Carl create his masterpiece for the show. After hours of witnessing the creativity of your great uncle doing what he passionately enjoyed, the elderly man finally finished as he revealed the artwork to you and Markus. Gasping at its beauty, you recognized the image of of being two faces split down the middle, one being your face with your sparkling (Eye Color) irises and (Hair Color) tresses and the other being Markus's face with his freckled tan skin and peridot orbs. Also surrounding the exterior of the faces were many long lines in crimson shades, like a red string of fate that bonded you and Markus together. Markus also dropped his jaw at the beautiful art before him with widened eyes before you complimented, "Uncle Carl, you've really outdone yourself. The fans are gonna love it." 

"Carl, I like it. But what possessed you to paint us?" Markus questioned before Carl nodded, "I decided to take inspiration from how I saw you and my great niece since you two give me life. You both are so different by species and yet so much the same, so I decided to show that. And then the red lines represent the red string of fate." 

"I called it!" You exclaimed with elation as you victory-punched the air, causing Markus and Carl to chuckle, before you remarked, "I can't wait for you to showcase it at the art show. I'll definitely be coming that night." 

"And I can't wait to see you in attendance." Carl remarked as he grasped your hand and Markus's like a father sharing a tender moment with his children. After gazing at each Markus and Carl lovingly, you enjoyed the rest of your day off with them since you had to return to work the next day until the night you would take off for Carl's art show. Nevertheless, you never forgot Markus's piano lesson or the painting you made of both of you. How his hands grasped yours with the delicate gentleness of a feather and those tender kisses he gave to your flesh that lit up your eyes and heart with life. And for as long as you lived, you knew you would never forget Markus and the domestic moments you shared together.


	7. DBH Markus/RK200 X Fem! Reader - Couple's Costume

Four months had elapsed since you and Markus first started dating and the relationship was still going strong. Sure, it wasn't perfect and you two did have your little squabbles, especially when Markus was injured by anti-android protestors but brushed it off as nothing or when you got hurt by Leo while defending Markus, but you two managed to live with the fact that you were both independent beings who would stand up for the right thing even if the other partner worried about the defender's safety. Since then, Carl displayed his artwork that he made based on you and Markus at the art show, which was well-received by fans and critics alike except for the common nay-sayers, the constant art critics who believed that Carl had no talent whatsoever and the bitter protestors who believed that androids shouldn't exist. However, you and Markus marveled in delight at how everyone loved it as you smiled at the large canvas together, making comedic remarks about the occupants of the event who either didn't recognize you and Markus from the painting or just pretended not to care. However, you and Markus savored the beauty of the painting as you gazed lovingly at one another the entire night while Carl couldn't help but smile at your true love. 

Three weeks had passed since you attended your great uncle's special event and another wonderful thing occurred. Before the opening night of your musical, the director decided to throw a costume party at their house since it was very close to Halloween and because they wanted to help celebrate the musical and how well dress rehearsals were going. As soon as you got the email alert on your smartphone that let you see the electronic invitation, you were already thinking of costume ideas until you thought about Markus. You didn't want to go alone without a date because that would be no fun and you didn't want to go without your boyfriend. That would be very hurtful to do to someone you loved so much and putting yourself in what Markus's position would be, you knew you couldn't go to that event while he had to stay at home without you. At the same time, you knew androids wouldn't be allowed at the director's house since many of the cast and crew despised the poor beings who didn't ask to be created to do manual labor so humans didn't have to. However, you had an idea on how to conceal Markus's identity as you rushed to the living room after getting off from work and taking a quick shower. Immediately, you encountered your great uncle Carl, who was sitting in front of the chess board before he greeted you warmly with a grin and asked you to play one game with him. When you asked where your boyfriend was, Carl answered that he wasn't supposed to say anything per Markus's request but that he could tell you that the android was in the art studio planning a little surprise for you. Therefore, you obliged to your elderly relative's request for speed chess even though you knew you weren't that good. However, you had learned better moves from both Carl and Markus ever since you started living with your great uncle, which gave you better skills when playing the cherished game. This only made you more confident in your strategic moves against your great uncle as you moved the silver pieces around to capture his gold while he attempted to do the same. Eventually, you hit the timer as Carl looked at the board alongside you before he exclaimed, "Ahhh! For the first time in months, you beat me. This doesn't normally happen." 

"Well, I had great teachers." You joked while you and your great uncle laughed before he nodded, "That you did, my dear. I would tip my hat to you to congratulate you, but only if I had a hat." 

"Perhaps I'll buy you one, Uncle Carl. A true ladies man could always use a nice hat." You retorted back with a point of your index finger to him and a click of your tongue behind a smile while Carl chuckled before he politely excused himself after remarking that Markus's surprise would be ready by this time. After thanking your great uncle for the speed chess game and telling him about the invitation, Carl announced that he wanted to collaborate artwork with other colleagues he knew from the good old days on the day of the party and gave you permission to take Markus with you as a bodyguard and companion if you so wished it. Administering to Carl a soft hug and kiss to the cheek in gratitude for letting Markus go with you to the party, you made your way into the art studio as Carl chuckled at your sweet, giving nature. 

There, you found the male android carving a pumpkin with a knife to create cute little shapes as he put little tealight candles inside the three or four he already finished and had laying on the nearest work table. Upon seeing you enter, he lit up the whole room with his contagious smile as he wiped off his hands with a towel to remove it of the fleshy part of the pumpkin and put down the knife so he could give you a proper greeting. Hugging you tightly with a small head tilt as he pressed his lips to yours, you gripped his black shirt in one of your hands while you cradled his head with your other palm before he set his hands around your waist, stroking your long hair in his fingers before he buried his head in the crook of your neck. After looking at the cool designs that Markus had made on the pumpkins (which mainly were carved silhouettes that resembled you, himself, or Markus and then the one he was currently carving that looked like a silhouette of you both kissing followed by one or two pumpkins that were carved like a classic jack o'lantern would be), you gasped at how much work Markus put into making these jack o'lanterns before you asked him, "Did you get Uncle Carl in on this so he could distract me and give you enough time to finish these?" 

"I researched human holidays and since it was closest to Halloween, I decided to make these to put around the yard. I wanted to surprise you since I know you celebrate certain human holidays, so I told Carl and he insisted on using speed chess to distract you." Markus explained with a small grin as he still continued to hug your waist while you moved your arms to your boyfriend's neck before he gazed down at you with peridot eyes shiny and a face that begged for approval, "Do you like it?" 

"Markus, I absolutely love it and I appreciate all the effort you put into making this surprise for me. I think it'll be fun helping you celebrate your first Halloween with me and Uncle Carl." You grinned as you kissed his cheek before you asked if you could help him with his carving. Handing you an extra knife and a fresh pumpkin he had on the side, you began carving flowers and hearts into your jack o'lantern while Markus returned to his masterpiece before you looked to him with warm (Eye Color) irises, "Hey, Markus, can I ask you something?" 

"Sure, (Name)." Your android boyfriend nodded as he finished his carving masterpiece and set it down before he toweled off his hands so he could give his full attention to you, "Since this is your first human holiday being spent with me, I was wondering...How would you feel about dressing up?"

"Aren't I already dressed up?" Markus joked as you giggled before you clarified, "Well, yes, you are. But I meant in a costume so you look like someone else." 

"So like the tradition of trick-or-treating that kids do on Halloween? You mean you want to dress up like a witch or superhero just to get candy?" Markus joked again after asking you what you meant by 'dressing up' before you had to try not to laugh as you clarified again, "Yes, dressing up is similar to what kids do when they trick or treat. But I meant dressing up as if we were going to an art show for Uncle Carl but dressed up as someone different, like the kids do on Halloween when they go out in costumes to get candy." 

"You mean dress up for a party?" Markus interrogated you before you nodded, "Yeah, that's exactly what I meant. Like an art show after-party but with everyone wearing costumes to celebrate Halloween." Smiling at each other as Markus fully comprehended what you meant and tried to imagine you and him at such a costume party before he asked, "What about it?"

"Well, I was invited to a costume party that is being hosted by the director of the musical I'm in...So I was wondering...if you'd like to...Maybe you'd like to go to a Halloween costume party with me?" You questioned as peridot eyes widened in surprise from afar while your man's lips stayed shut, as if they had been super-glued together. However, Markus's shock was soon replaced by something more heartfelt as his eyes became glassy and his LED turned yellow, then red as his thoughts raced in his head. After a few moments of processing what you just asked of him, Markus's LED changed slowly from red back to yellow and then back to his comforting blue before he asked with his still-shocked expression, "You...You want to take me with you? Why?"

"Why? Because you're my boyfriend and there's no one else I would choose to accompany me." You explained before you continued, "And you don't have to worry about Uncle Carl since he's collaborating art with some old colleagues. He explicitly gave you permission to go with me as both companion and bodyguard."

"Well, he did say he was meeting with some old friends in a couple days and he did give me a day off at that time." Markus mused aloud with a nod as he warmed up to your plan with a blue LED before he smiled down at you and announced that he would love to go. However, his LED suddenly flashed to yellow as worry plagued the next few sentences of his speech, "But how would I be able to accompany you? Androids aren't allowed into most places unless they are caretakers looking after their owners."

"Which is why you'll be a human for a day, not a caretaker android." You suggested before Markus shrugged playfully as if he thought you were joking around with him,   
"Sure, okay, (Name)." 

"I'm serious, Markus. You're talking to a singer and actress here, and if it's one thing I know, it's how to make myself look different." You replied before you beckoned him to follow you upstairs to your bedroom as you set him up in front of your mirror before you grabbed a black piece of cloth and tied it in a way to create a makeshift bandana. Then, tying it around Markus's head, you stood back a couple steps and eye-balled him up and down while he laughed and asked you what you were doing. However, you remained silent as you grabbed another piece of black cloth and used some spare scissors to cut some holes into it, taking your time as you tied the second cloth around Markus's eyes before you asked him to look in the mirror. At once, you massaged Markus's shoulders while he stared at himself in the mirror before he remarked with a smirk, "You hid my LED perfectly with just two little black cloths. It's almost like I really am human...But how did you do that?"

"Tricks of the theatre. Lesson number one, the art of basic costumes using household items." You replied as you hugged Markus with your hands around his neck from behind as he still stared at himself in the mirror, even taking his palm by his face to touch the cloths that covered his LED without even a trace of blue light emitting from underneath the black cotton, before he kissed your cheek with an announcement that stated the obvious, "You made me look like Westley from your favorite film." 

"That was kinda the point, silly, because I was thinking of costume ideas before I came to ask you to come with me to the party. It just seemed like the perfect one since it hides your android status and it's unique to us as a couple." 

"Well, you definitely chose well. Thank you for extending the invitation to me."

"And thanks for taking me up on my offer." You grinned sweetly as you cradled Markus's concealed face in both palms with a giggle while he chuckled under his breath, kissing you back before he picked you up so that your legs wrapped around his waist and his hands locked under your legs. After sharing a tender moment, you and Markus pulled away from each other as you discussed more about the party before your boyfriend asked you about what you were wearing. In response, you answered honestly by explaining how you had a red dress in your closet that you would wear underneath a robe you were modifying on your old sewing machine so that you would look like Buttercup, Westley's other half, since you also remarked that what you and Markus were going to be doing was a couple's costume. After researching about couples' costumes in his head, Markus smiled as he remarked that he would love nothing better than to do something like that with you since it was his one night to feel like a human without having to worry about harassment or physical abuse from anti-android protestors. But more importantly, Markus would have you there as his girlfriend dressed up as the female lead in yours and his favorite film, and he wouldn't have to pretend that you guys weren't a thing due to your human status and his android one. It literally got his thirium pump racing, his thoughts becoming more like a human's in regards to emotions, and his peridot eyes shining like stained glass just thinking about the night of the party. 

Weeks of preparation for the Halloween party went by and you finally finished modifying a red robe you found at a secondhand shop with your sewing machine, making sure it was completely ready since tonight was the night. One morning after you and Markus woke up, you modeled the finished product in the mirror and in front of your boyfriend while you twirled like a princess dancing on a ballroom with her prince, which really got the male's thirium pump racing and his head nodding up and down sensually while it looked like he was mentally undressing you with those peridot eyes that you absolutely adored. That only caused you to blush red as you covered your face in your hands to prevent waking up Carl with your boisterous laughter before Markus got off the mattress to kiss you with the most gentle press of his lips against yours as he gasped at how beautiful you looked but also at how much work you put into the costume. Thanking him for his sweet compliments as you wiped away tears of joy, you put your costume back up in your closet before you and Markus continued the usual morning routine. After giving Carl a good breakfast and helping him get dressed, you and Markus assisted him into a cab while you bid him goodbye before you went back to the house to work on chores together. 

After finishing the cleaning only to sit at the dinner table together as you ate your breakfast, you and Markus made last minute touches to your couples' costume in the art studio for the rest of the day before finally getting dressed a couple hours before the party. After setting up the bandana and eye mask on Markus's face so they wouldn't fall off (just in case you two were to dance together), you attached a fake mustache to the face of your beloved and gave him one last kiss before you began applying makeup to your face so you'd look your best. After making the finishing touches with some mascara and some eyeshadow, you smiled at your reflection since it looked so natural and yet so on point. Readjusting your costume so that it was rid of wrinkles and the skirts of the robe didn't snag on your boots, you gave one last once-over in the mirror before you felt Markus come up from behind you. At once, he kissed your hands while you blushed with a giggle before the male android started stroking the braid that held your long (Hair Color) tresses back. The night before, you had made sure your hair was washed in the shower before allowing Markus to braid it while it was still damp so that it would be wavy after drying yesterday and all of today. Since he was a caretaker android, Markus did a wonderful job of making sure that your hair was combed out and braided properly, even better than what you could do alone. Plus, it felt kinda nice having a boyfriend who could do your hair since Markus always had the gentlest touch and more patience. Even still, Markus was gentle with you as he undid the ponytail braid slowly, running his fingers through each individual strand to remove it of tangles before you fixed it in the mirror after he was done so that you looked just like Buttercup.   
Determining that you both were ready for the night, you stopped Markus to take a photo on your smartphone so you would have a physical memory of this night before you both locked up the house. Calling a cab, you and Markus entered the inside of it as you were driven to the director's house. 

Thanking the cab service as you paid for it since you wanted to make Markus feel special tonight, you and your android boyfriend went to the front door as you presented your email invitation to the director, who was greeting all their guests in person as they shook your hand and even introduced themselves to Markus. Surprisingly, Markus didn't freeze up in conversation like he normally did at large gatherings since he was just a caretaker android. Instead, he was very charming and talkative to the director and the other party guests as it seemed the lively spirits of Carl and Westley resided in him. Taking on the role of his costume to a perfect tee, Markus even showed his affection to you publicly without shame since you were doing a couples' costume together and he didn't have to hide his love for you. After seeing those peridot eyes gaze at you with a gentle passion that not even the best romantic films could recreate, you couldn't help but join in as you and Markus engaged in public displays of affection at the same time that you enjoyed the Halloween party. 

Eventually, you grabbed Markus's hand as you noticed everyone dancing before you asked your boyfriend, "Hey, love, I don't know if you'd like to, but would you accompany me on the dance floor?" 

"I'd love to, but I don't know how to dance." Markus shrugged, feeling ashamed that he couldn't even get out on a lit-up floor in order to engage in fast or slow dancing before you shook your head, determined in your mission to get your boyfriend to completely act human, "That's okay, I do. My grandfather and father taught me when I was really little. You taught me piano, so in return, I'll teach you how to dance." Pulling Markus onto the dance floor by grabbing his hand, you both walked past the music booth as a human DJ was taking requests for songs before your boyfriend beckoned the male DJ to come closer to him. After whispering something in his ear, the male DJ nodded with a remark that Markus had a good taste in music before you asked your boyfriend what he told the man. All Markus responded with was that it was a surprise before you heard a familiar beat. At once, your (Eye Color) orbs lit up with shining tears as you looked to your boyfriend, who grinned down at you with glassy peridot irises as he held you in his arms, before you gasped, "You requested this song, for us?"

"Well, The Princess Bride was what made me realize that we are meant for each other. So why not pick a song that means a lot to both of us?" Markus remarked as he kissed your forehead before you kissed his temple where his LED was hidden by black cloth, the nostalgic theme song of the film playing in the background. You two even had a few of the cast and crew you had grown close to like a family grinning in admiration at how cute you were, which only grew as they witnessed you and Markus kissing on the dance floor. Once you were ready, you placed Markus's hands where they needed to be as you touched your boyfriend where he needed to be touched before you told him to lead the dance, either by moving around the dance floor or by swaying back and forth if he wasn't comfortable with a waltz. Electing to just sway back and forth as he hugged you tightly, Markus rested his forehead against yours as your song created an ambiance of true love, low lighting of pink on the dance floor glowing as the moon and stars were all alight in the sky outside. Even in your dancing position, you and Markus still managed to lock lips as you heard exclamations of "awww, they're so cute together" and "how romantic" from behind, causing you and Markus to giggle as you winked at the other party goers before you both called it a night. Deciding to walk home rather than take a cab, you and Markus enjoyed the serenity of being alone together as you held hands while you took pleasure in each other's company with every step down the street. Eventually, you and Markus made it back home as the automatic door opened, welcoming you both back before your beloved treated you like the princess you were, carrying you bridal-style over the threshold of the front door as you both giggled on your way upstairs. Setting you down in your bedroom, you and Markus exchanged a tender kiss before getting ready for bed. Removing your costume and your makeup, you watched Markus from afar as he redressed back in his usual black shirt and pants, with you giving him privacy by diverting your gaze whenever he was about to take an article of clothing off while Markus gave you the same courtesy, turning away when it was clear you were naked and then only looking when you were fully clothed again. After winding down together, you and Markus cuddled in each other's arms on the bed as you looked at the pictures your cast mates sent to you by text, which contained images of you and Markus kissing and smiling. On that Halloween night, you helped Markus pretend to be a human for a day. On that night, you made Markus feel more free. Giving him a chance to show you physical affection and his dating status without having to hide the fact that he was an android dating a human really made you and Markus's day. Overall, that night was one you both knew you would never forget forever and it only brought you both closer together as dating partners. Acting as though you two were Buttercup and Westley, you exchanged your declarations of "I love you" and "Sure, okay, (Name)" as you fell asleep together, holding hands and locking lips in each other's warm arms.


	8. DBH Connor/RK800 X Fem! Reader - Getting to Know You Better

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Greetings, lovely fans. Here's another Connor oneshot for Detroit: Become Human. I really enjoy writing for DBH so I'll continue to write more. Please enjoy. :)
> 
> P.S. The responses used by Connor in the canon of the game are actual responses I chose during my playthrough. I also recognize that DBH doesn't belong to me, so I will include a link so all responses that Connor uses for "Waiting for Hank" can be seen and so that plagiarism will not occur. 
> 
> Link: https://youtu.be/d23xe3SqcEU

The next morning after the interrogation, Connor just couldn't get you out of his head as his software became more unstable with each racing memory. You had not only assisted him in the case of Carlos Ortiz both on the scene and in the interrogation room, but you also defended him from getting shot by Gavin. Therefore, Connor was determined to find you at the station and thank you for your help while he was waiting for Hank at his desk, which he was able to find with little difficulty after asking another officer where Hank could be. 

Noticing some things on your desk, Connor looked at it all as he noticed a framed photo on your desk before he scanned the faces of the people in the picture. Immediately, he recognized you with a younger version of Hank as well as a man who you resembled the most physically. In the photo, you were sitting in a rolling chair in front of two desks, one labeled "Lt. Anderson" and the other labeled "Sgt. (Last Name)" while Hank and the other man were in rolling chairs in front of their computers. After looking at the photo, Connor internally smiled as he scanned the face of the man on the opposite side of Hank, who was revealed to be your father. For a few moments, Connor soon researched information through online newspaper articles about your father and his many sting operations in red ice dealers with Hank as his long-time partner from the police academy before his scanners picked up something very interesting. With a red banner over the face of your father while performing a facial recognition scan, Connor soon realized that your father was deceased and had been for several years as his death date was displayed in bold letters on the banner. It all seemed to click for Connor as to why your sparkling (Eye Color) irises were so somber even when a smile was always on your face and kindness was evident in your actions. You were dealing with personal issues and demons of your own in regards to your father's death on the job while hunting down a dangerous red ice dealer. It made sense to Connor as he pondered how you were still able to be so strong even after going through a tragedy of losing someone special like that. Even if he had just met you, Connor concluded that you were such a good employee of DPD and an even better person outside of work. These revelations only made Connor more excited to be your partner and get to know you better so he could better understand the human female who made his thirium pump race in his chest, his thoughts wander from his mission of hunting deviants, his internal fans struggle to cool him down, and his LED flash from blue to yellow to red and back again in confusion with regards to you. He also wanted to better understand you because you were the only one since his arrival from CyberLife to treat him like a decent person that should be respected. 

(Software Instability ^ ) 

Then, Connor decided to change his attention to something else as he noticed something on the back of your chair before he took his time with his scanning, only to uncover dog hairs from a Saint Bernard upon it before he turned his neck to gaze at a bulletin board near your work computer. Tacked in the upper right corner of the board was a flier from a local store that still sold physical copies of books and was announcing a 50% off sale in two weeks. Upon further glance, Connor's chocolate eyes caught sight of the multitude of stickers on the board, which contained either witty puns related to psychology, logos for favorite musical bands and fandoms you enjoyed, or pro-android equality quotes. Connor even researched your career as he stared at your desk for a few moments, finding that you were an alumni from a Detroit university with majors in psychology and sociology and you were a former college research assistant who worked with abnormal behavior psychologists at that same university. Connor also learned that you had graduated the top of the class once you joined DPD after interning there in college for a salary with Hank as your mentor, and he even found the online newspaper articles detailing the drug bust and deviant cases you worked on. Satisfied to see a human woman so young and yet so established in her career after working so hard made Connor impressed to be working with you in the field. 

(Software Instability ^ ) 

After investigating all he could uncover about you without invading your privacy, Connor then decided to research about Hank, his second human partner, as he was able to find anti-android stickers on his bulletin board, a Japanese plant, an empty coffee cup with a box of doughnuts nearby, dog hairs from a Saint Bernard on the back of his chair (the same dog hairs in fact that he found on your chair), a baseball cap that advertised the Detroit Dodgers basketball team, and photos of Hank when he was a young lieutenant alongside his colleagues. Connor even managed to find online newspaper articles that detailed the career and red ice drug bust successes of the human male before the android detective came to the conclusion that Hank was a decorated officer but that some personal issues caused Hank to lose his passion. Wanting to get to know his new field partners better, Connor vowed to make it his mission to learn everything he could about you and Hank so he could make his own conclusions about you two but also so he could understand the underlying personal issues of your lives. 

Thoughts of you and Hank, but especially you, raced through Connor's mind at light speed before you broke him from his mind palace with a simple yet polite greeting, "Good morning, Connor. It's nice to see you again." This only made Connor's thirium pump hammer his chest faster as he was lost for words, just giving you a small nod with puppy dog eyes and a curious head tilt before he stuttered out a "good morning" to you as well. His innocent demeanor only made you giggle in your hand as you couldn't help but think he was so adorkable, which only made him smile back at you kindly since he saw sincerity, not rudeness, in your features when they were directed at him. 

(Software Instability ^ )

Setting your personal belongings down on the desk, you unscrewed the cap on a bottle of water you had in your hands as you took a sip before you announced, "I'm sorry I'm late. I ran into some heavy traffic caused by some anti-android protestors who don't know how to stay out of the road." 

"You're perfectly fine, Sergeant (Last Name). Hank isn't even here yet, so I was just waiting on him to arrive. But it's nice to see a familiar face as well." Connor greeted back as you smiled at the male android before he noticed that you weren't drinking coffee like the other officers in the station, prompting him to ask, "You don't drink coffee like the other officers here. May I ask why, Sergeant?"

"I never was a coffee drinker since I don't need it to wake up. I'm just a weird morning person who prefers water, juice, or hot chocolate as a beverage of choice...Besides,   
coffee gets my heart rate up too quickly and gives me anxiety and insomnia, so I try to avoid it at all costs." You explained as Connor committed your preferences of beverage to memory before you sat down at your desk so you could turn on your computer and collect yourself before working on the deviant cases assigned to you, Hank, and Connor. At once, Connor sat down so that one thigh hung off the metal of the desk and one thigh laid on the edge of it, leaning in closer as he began interrogating you so he could learn more about you, "Can I ask a personal question, (Name)?" 

"Of course, Connor. Go ahead." You chimed in with a nod before the male android continued, "Why do you use a tape recorder during crime scene investigations or interrogations? Is it proper protocol for the station?"

"Nah, I just do it for myself as a little personal habit, kinda how you always flip a quarter in your hands to make sure your hand-eye coordination is up to par. It just makes it easier to review evidence without going to the storage locker every single time and so I always have a copy of the evidence in case we have someone on the inside of the station tampering with the evidence and acting as an accomplice to a crime." You clarified honestly as Connor gave a nod to insinuate complete understanding of your logic before he admitted, "Actually, since we're going to be partners for a while, I wanted to learn more about you and Hank. That's why I researched your careers and I take note of your daily habits." 

"And what did you find?" You turned around in your rolling chair as you faced Connor with a curious smirk, reclining back with your hands on the armrests so that your feet were perched on the desk beside Connor's thigh, before the male android told you with all the truth evident in his tone and gestures, "I noticed that your father went to the police academy together with Hank and he was a good employee, responsible for many sting operations in the pursuit of stopping the sale of red ice. I wanted to ask what made you decide to be a cop like your father." 

"Well, I always wanted to be a hero, you know? My mom always said I loved my dad more than her and that me following this dream would be a mistake, but that wasn't true. I just idolized his sacrifices to the community and wanted to be just like him, and I've never once regretted my choice to be in DPD...But rather than just go into the force right after high school, I decided to train as a psychologist so I would be better equipped for interrogation and diagnosis of victims and criminals alike, whether android or human." 

"I understand you have two master's degrees, one in sociology and one in psychology." 

"Yes, that's correct. I wanted to make sure I had all the education I needed since I mainly wanted to work as an interrogator and detective...Gavin thinks I'm an entitled know-it-all because I read physical books and I got a permanent job here from Hank after being his paid intern in college. I think he's just jealous because I was the top of the class and the only girl in the unit at the time, but he also hated that Hank liked me more even though I paid more attention in class than him, I preferred dialogue to violence in cases, I supported androids, and I knew Hank as a kid through my dad." You rambled on as Connor listened intently before you apologized, "I'm sorry if I talk too much. You must want to get to work now."

"Actually, you don't talk too much and I enjoy hearing you speak. But I think learning is not a bad thing. It can help you understand so much more than if you remained ignorant. Your knowledge of the mind and the probabilities in people's actions has come in handy during interrogation to avoid causing unnecessary stress to androids or to decide how to tackle a case. As far as Gavin is concerned, he is wrong to constantly badger you since I haven't seen you do anything wrong." 

"Well, I'm glad you think so because I only read to update myself on new things that occur in this occupation. I also appreciate you think he's an ass too since Hank and I seem to be the only ones who don't let him get away with picking on our other coworkers." 

"In fact, (Name), I think you are one of the best detectives I've ever had the pleasure of working with. Hank likes you and I quite enjoy your company." Connor admitted with every bit of seriousness in his tone and facial expressions. There was a part of you, maybe a 11% chance, that you believed Connor was programmed to be polite and professional to humans at work. However, his chocolate eyes expressed something different, an almost human quality to him that was unlike anything you had ever seen in androids...except when they were deviant. But Connor wasn't a deviant; he was an android detective designed by CyberLife to hunt down deviants. However, his response seemed sincere and honest as it caused you to smile with your eyes holding back tears at how sweet your new partner was, "You're a good guy, Connor...You know, I kinda like having you as a partner. I always trust you have my back, in the field and in the office." 

"As I trust you, Sergeant." Connor replied with a wink of his eye and a gentle grin before you giggled again at his antics. After calming down, you suddenly found yourself getting lost in your partner's eyes before he asked you, "You are an interesting person, Sergeant (Last Name). But I've neglected to let you know more about me. Is there anything you'd like to know about me or would you prefer not to know?"

"I do have some questions." You nodded in agreement with Connor before he adjusted himself in his sitting position on your desk so that his posture was as still as a statue and his chocolate irises were never breaking eye contact with you before you began asking away to your heart's content. And with all honesty, Connor answered you back as you were satisfied with each answer based on the male android's internal scans of your endorphin levels, your level of eye contact, and your current posture. These conversations persisted on for as long as you two wanted to keep going before Hank popped up behind your male android partner, causing you to greet him warmly with a "Hey, sleeping beauty" as Hank chuckled tiredly with a playful roll of his eyes before Connor announced with a puppy dog look and a smile, "It's good to see you again, Lieutenant." All Hank could do was mutter a "Uh, Jesus" under his breath with another roll of his eyes before Captain Fowler called out from afar, "Hank, (Name), in my office!" After looking to each other in confusion while you shrugged your shoulders at Hank, you and Connor followed the older detective into the glass room as the African-American captain sat back down in front of his desk before he gave direct orders to your father figure. For minutes, Hank openly voiced his disapproval of the orders given to him by Fowler as well as the fact that he would have to work with an android when it was quite clear that he despised them. You tried to pacify the situation by telling Hank that working with Connor wouldn't be so bad and that you wouldn't mind taking on the deviant cases alone with your new android partner, but this discussion only ended in the most vulgar curse words and a heated screaming match between two grown men before you screamed out one "enough, both of you," which stopped the two men and impressed Connor. Then, shaking your head and pinching your sinuses together with your fingers, you neutralized the situation with a calm, collected remark that while Hank and Fowler were older, they were acting like petulant children who seriously needed to grow up and get back to work. With that, Hank huffed angrily out of the office as Fowler sighed and went back to his computer. 

Staring off into the distance at Hank as he slumped to his desk and sat in his chair, hands crossed over his chest with his head down, you and Connor exchanged a glance before the male android thanked Captain Fowler for letting him join the team. But all this did was make the man angry as he told Connor to get out and shut the door, causing you to shake your head as you pat the android detective's shoulder lightly, nodding to the door with a gentle grin, before Connor told the captain to have a nice day. Exiting through the door as he closed it behind the both of you, Connor stared at Hank as he still remained sitting at his desk before you put your hand on the android's shoulder as you comforted him, "Please don't take anything Hank says to heart. He may seem like a big old grump who seems to hate people every day, but he's actually a big softie once you get to know him better. You keep being nice to him and he'll eventually warm up to you." 

"But he has made it very clear that he hates androids." Connor stated matter-of-factly while you nodded, "Yes, he does. I can't make excuses for his behavior and I'm not going to since what he does is rude to you after you've done nothing wrong...But Hank has his personal reasons for not liking androids and I have my personal reasons for believing the opposite."

"And what would make you comfortable and even respectful around androids?"

"Well, I like to call it like I see it. If an android looks like a human, talks like a human, sounds like a human, acts like a human...then it is human. I don't believe androids who act human are deviants to be feared but rather an equal to humans. I don't   
know, that's just my opinion." You justified with a light shrug of your shoulders as if your actions were just the right thing to do before Connor nodded with his chocolate eyes gazing down at you in admiration that you had a moral code and stuck by it, "You're allowed to have an opinion. It is your right as a human."

"Well, Connor, it's your right to have an opinion as well since you act more like a human than a machine." You replied as you pat Connor's shoulder again with a comforting grin before you suggested, "Come on, we should go see if the old guy's okay. Can't solve the cases without our other partner, right?" Right then and there, kind words and even kinder gestures only made Connor's admiration and respect grow for you as his chocolate eyes seemed to gaze at you differently from how he gazed at you any other time you were in his presence. Connor didn't know why his thirium pump raced, his body heated up, or his eyes gazed at you with a look that practically screamed 'love at first glance.' But he knew that it was YOU that caused him to feel this way and honesty, he didn't care if it made him feel abnormal. You were nice to him and always knew how to help him but you also showed interest in his very existence, so Connor couldn't help but want to grow closer to you as he continued to stare at you from afar before he decided to comfort Hank. 

(Software Instability ^ ) 

Standing in front of the man while you sat at your own desk, Connor tried to gain Hank's trust as he apologized, "I get the impression my presence causes you some inconvenience, Lieutenant. I'd like you to know I'm very sorry about that." 

"Hank, come on, what's done is done. Sitting over there like a sour puss won't help. Please be nice to him; he didn't do anything to you." You begged with sparkling eyes of (Eye Color) as your ponytail swished back and forth behind your head in quick flashes of (Hair Color) before Hank spun his chair a little towards Connor while the android continued, "Now that we're partners, it would be great to get to know each other better." With an awkward smile, Connor waited for Hank to respond only for the older man to remain silent before the male android kept going, "In any case, I'd like you to know I'm very happy to be working with you. I'm sure we'll make a great team." Still, Hank said nothing, so Connor gave up as you looked at the male android with a sigh and eye roll directed at your father figure before he asked the older human, "Is there a desk anywhere I could use?"

"No one's using that one." Hank pointed with his index finger before he logged into his own work computer so he wouldn't have to pay attention to Connor while the male android sat down at the empty desk. After you exchanged a gentle smile with Connor, you went back to your work on your computer before the male android asked Hank, "You have a dog, right?" 

"How do you know that?" Hank asked with raised eyebrows as he glared daggers at Connor before the male android explained with innocent eyes and an even cuter facial expression that caused you to blush red just from watching your father figure and partner interact, "The dog hairs on your chair and (Name)'s. I like dogs. What's your dog's name?" 

"What's it to you?" Hank snapped as Connor looked down at his desk and you rolled your eyes in frustration that your father figure couldn't even attempt to be civil with your partner before he shrugged with a small smirk as Connor lifted his head to the answer of his human companion, "Sumo, I call him Sumo." This only caused you to grin at both men as you could see some kind of connection forming between android and human with each question that Connor asked Hank while you watched and worked. In the meantime, Connor continued to speak to Hank as he changed conversation topics, "Do you listen to Knights of the Black Death? I really like that music. It's...full of energy..."

"You listen to Heavy Metal?" Hank questioned the android with a 'Sure, Jan' face, a dropped jaw, and narrowed baby blues while Connor answered honestly with his innocent expressions, "Well, I don't really listen to music, as such, but I'd like to." Then, Connor became more adventurous in his curious questions as he started to get more personal so he could understand Hank better, "Have you know Captain Fowler for long?" 

"Yeah, too long." Hank nodded as he turned back around in his chair to stare at the captain, who was busy in his office on the computer, while Connor waited a beat before stating the obvious, "A lot of people don't appreciate having androids around. I was wondering, is there any reason in particular you despise me?" 

"Yeah, there is one." Hank nodded as he scowled at Connor with a bitter grin, causing the male android's face to perk up in interest as to the reason why his partner hated him so much, before Connor's chocolate eyes flickered to your face. At once, he noticed that you were staring at Hank and biting the inside of your cheek, sadness evident in your eyes as they seemed shinier than normal. What Connor quickly realized was that you were trying not to cry at work in front of everyone but that you still felt something for your father figure just by the way you stared at the blue-eyed lieutenant with a pained expression. That panged Connor's thirium pump as if he had been shot by a deviant with a gun while he almost felt like an invisible noose hung around his neck, squeezing the life out of him as he stared at you lovingly again. He didn't know why he felt this way, but he knew that he couldn't, wouldn't, see you look that sad again. He knew he couldn't bear it since this was the first time someone was kind to him outside of a mission only for him to see the pain you had on your shoulders. Connor didn't want to see you hurt since it nearly killed him on the inside to watch. Therefore, it was no wonder that he reached across your desk and his to grab your hand while you gasped inwardly at his gesture with widened eyes before you relaxed, squeezing his hand for reassurance as he squeezed yours back in acknowledgement. 

With that, Connor turned to Hank as he let go of your hand before he suggested, "If you have any files on deviants, I'd like to take a look at them." 

"Terminal's on your desk. Knock yourself out." Hank huffed as he returned to his computer once he pointed to Connor's computer screen before the male android connected to the database. At once, hundreds upon hundreds of cases flashed in front of him on the screen as his mind palace processed it all before he remarked, "243 files...The first dates back nine months...It all started in Detroit and quickly spread across the country. An AX400 is reported to have assaulted a man last night. That could be a good starting point for our investigation." Getting up from his desk, Connor went towards Hank as you accompanied him by getting up from your desk before Hank gave another hiss of "Uh, Jesus" under his breath, turning away from the male android as he turned on a touchscreen pad, while Connor reassured his partner, "I understand you're facing personal issues, Lieutenant, but you need to move past them and-" 

"Hey! Don't talk to me like you know me. I'm not your friend and I don't need your advice, okay?" Hank snapped with his index finger in Connor's face as you tried to keep your father figure calm, "Hank, what did I say about being nice to him? He's just trying to help." However, this only made Hank huff and turn away from you too like a child giving their parent the silent treatment followed by a cold shoulder before Connor knelt down beside Hank's desk. With a firm voice and his elbows resting on the desk, Connor faced Hank as he laid down the law, "I've been assigned this mission, Lieutenant. I didn't come here to wait until you feel like working." 

This failed to keep Hank calm or sane as the older human grabbed Connor by the collar, throwing him up against the glass wall behind your desk, Connor's, and Hank's while you yelled out, "Hank, knock it off. Put him down." But your words did nothing as the lieutenant ignored you so he could practically hiss at the android, "Listen, asshole. If it was up to me, I'd throw the lot of you in a dumpster and set a match to it. So stop pissing me off or things are gonna get nasty." 

However, before Hank could get any angrier and even attempt to strike Connor while you tried to pull your father figure off the android, Chris interrupted the argument as he told Hank, "Lieutenant, sorry to disturb you. I have some information on the AX400 that attacked the guy last night. It's been seen in the Ravendale district." 

"I'm on it." Hank huffed as he let go of Connor and followed Chris out of the station. At once, you went over to your male partner while he stood and readjusted his tie before you asked, "Hey, I'm sorry about that. Ive told Hank he needs to control himself better before it gets him in trouble. You okay?"

"I'm alright. Are you ready to go?" Connor nodded as he stared down at you with chocolate eyes before you nodded back with an affirmative answer. Grabbing your coat from your chair, you and Connor followed Hank and Chris to the cars as you were both briefed on the mission. All the while, Connor continued to stare at you while you were confirming evidence and leads with Hank and Chris with those big chocolate eyes, thinking to himself that you really were a good person since you defended him twice from humans who threatened him harm, you were always kind to him, and you proved to be a formidable equal in the field of criminal investigation, especially if the perpetrators were deviants. Even when it seemed like his purpose in life according to CyberLife was just to follow the mission and nothing else, Connor felt drawn to you, almost as if you were his new mission. As more time passed and he got to know you better, Connor felt a connection sparking between you and him as his mind was preoccupied with thoughts about you. Therefore, as you made it to the Ravendale district by car, Connor felt determined to make the personal connection with you stronger since he had never felt anything like this before. Androids couldn't feel, especially not something as strong and pure as love. That's what Connor kept trying to say. But his inner consciousness, his thirium pump that acted and beat like a human heart, kept drawing him to you so he could actually feel something. He could hide it and even try to deny it, but he couldn't forget the feelings he had for you from the first moment you expressed kindness and warmth to him. And honestly, he didn't want to forget. He always wanted to remember because he always wanted to have you around.


	9. DBH Connor/RK800 X Fem! Reader - Run or Stay?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Greetings! Here's another Connor X Reader oneshot for Detroit: Become Human. I'm really enjoying writing for this video game and will continue to write more. So please enjoy! :) 
> 
> The dialogue used in the game were actual choices I made in the game but they also do not belong to me. Therefore I will provide a Youtube link to the original content: 
> 
> https://youtu.be/cCmP2ZYScOk

Upon arriving at the Ravendale district, you and Hank got out of the car to be briefed by your colleagues in the field who were scouting the area while Connor remained by the car, standing still and quiet with his hands by his side. After a few minutes of gathering clues in regards to the AX400, you gave your findings to Connor after recording it in your tape recorder first while Hank continued to verify and triple-check all the information being given to him by his fellow men in blue. 

At once, Hank came back to you and Connor with a touchscreen pad in his hand as he looked over all the accounts from his fellow officers before the male android tried to piece the scene together with a narrative, "It took the first bus that came along and stayed at the end of the line. Its decision wasn't planned; it was driven by fear."

"Well, it could've been on the run after killing its owner like Carlos's android did. Or it could've been trying to protect itself and or someone else. Either way, it somehow ended up here." You mused aloud as you tried to piece together a justifiable, concrete narrative before Hank scoffed with a roll of his eyes, "Androids don't feel fear."

"Deviants do. They get overwhelmed by their emotions and make irrational decisions." Connor retorted calmly to counteract Hank before the older detective shrugged, "Ah well, that still doesn't tell us where it went." 

"It didn't have a plan and it didn't know where to go. Maybe it didn't go far." Connor suggested with broad shoulders and brown eyebrows raising up with every sentence to insinuate his next narrative while his chocolate orbs never broke contact with you or Hank. In the meanwhile, you comprehended Connor's investigation of the anecdotal evidence before you nodded in agreement with a smile directed at him, "Connor's right. He said that it was driven by fear, not strategy when it made a getaway...If I was scared and had no means to get money or food, I'd find the first abandoned shelter I could." 

"Maybe." Hank shrugged lightly as he walked off to comb the area for clues before Connor noticed something near an abandoned house, which kept his eyes fixed on that spot as you followed his gaze with your own interrogation towards your partner, "Connor, what is it? What do you see?"

"I see blue blood on that fence. I'm gonna go check it out." Connor announced before you nodded, "I'll come with you; you might need backup." Giving you a nod of acknowledgement to your request, you followed behind Connor with a hand always hovering near your handgun in the event that you both were attacked as you stayed behind his back before he knelt down near a chainlink fence. Dipping two fingers into the blood before inserting them into his mouth for real-time analysis, you stared on and watched Connor's chocolate gaze perk up with his eyebrows as his LED spun around in yellow before returning back to blue. Immediately, you awaited his answer as you asked, "Anything?" 

"The AX400 was here. Their blood is on the fence." Connor explained while you noticed a pair of wire cutters on the ground, which caused you to kneel down to pick them up as you pieced together another narrative that started to make more sense to you and Connor the longer you spoke, "Well, the rain washed away their footprints, but we still have the wire cutters they used to get through the fence. However, if it was just the android on the run, they could've hopped the fence without a lot of difficulty. But if they were traveling with someone else who couldn't hop a fence, then they had to cut it to get through." 

"You do have a valid point. But who would they be traveling with?" Connor questioned you even though he was already formulating an answer while you remarked, "Maybe a child? After all, the AX400 was programmed to be a nanny to children and infants. It would only make sense that they would cut the fence so the kid could get through and get hurt in the process." 

"I figured as much but it sounds so much better when you say it." Connor remarked as you blushed red from the compliment, which you weren't expecting from an android like your partner who always followed protocol even when he looked and acted human. However, you two stuck to the mission as you investigated the area before you pointed to the abandoned house near the chainlink fence, muttering to yourself, "Connor, you think they're in there? It would be the perfect place to hide out for a while if you're on the run." 

"It would be. Should we check it out before Lieutenant Anderson gets back?" Connor looked to you with puppy dog eyes of brown as if you had all the answers and he was clueless before you nodded, "You're perfectly capable of making your own decisions without me telling you. Either way, I'll follow you and cover you." Giving a nod of approval to each other with eyes of brown and (Eye Color) sparkling with renewed vigor, you led the way while Connor's scanners looked you up and down, amazed yet again at your loyalty to him as your partner even when you barely knew him but also by your intelligence as a detective who was trained as a scholar of statistics and psychological disorders. He didn't know again what came over him as his chocolate orbs stared at you, but flashes of conclusions such as "You admire her" and "Follow her" appeared in his head as if they were computer pop-up banners before he decided to get in front of your walking form in case something happened. In his head, Connor didn't want to see you hurt and he would make sure of that since he seemed to be following his heart more than his program whenever he was around you. You made him feel more free, more human, more alive by the way you treated him with kindness and respect and for that, the male detective android was eternally grateful. 

(Software Instability ^ )

At once, you and Connor rounded the corner of the desolate wooden shack before you called out, "Hello?" This was followed by Connor's firm tone asking the question "Is anybody home?" After a few steps, you noticed a window that was missing boards. Pointing to it as you beckoned silently with a wave of your hand for your partner to come closer, you used your index finger to indicate the presence of another android inside the house before you whispered, "There's another android in there. But it's not an AX400. Usually they're female but this android is a male and from the uniform, it looks to be a WR600 android used primarily for gardening." Nodding in agreement with your correct observations, you looked to Connor with urgency in your (Eye Color) orbs as you snapped your hand up to grip his wrist tightly before you mouthed out the words "Be careful" to your partner. Giving another nod as he put his hand over yours, Connor was able to calm you down as he watched your heart rate relax after seeing it spike due to fear of losing him. Knowing that you had lost your father years ago when he died on the force with Hank as his partner, Connor took all proper precautions to make sure that you and him weren't harmed as he  
walked slowly to the front door with you in tow. After a beat and nods of permission exchanged between you two, Connor turned the metal knob while you tip-toed inside behind your partner before you both noticed the blonde, male android standing there in the center of the floor, fidgeting around nervously as his blue eyes darted around the corners of the room while he looked at you and Connor with trembling lips. Clad in a black tarp so it resembled a poncho to match a green uniform with a kitchen knife in his clasped hands in front of his stomach, you noticed that the male android looked frightened as you greeted, "Hi there, there's no need to be afraid. My name is Sergeant (Last Name) of DPD and this is my partner Connor. We just heard about a female AX400 in the area and we'd like to speak to them about an owner attack that occurred recently. Have you seen one?"

"No, Ralph hasn't seen anyone." The android answered as he fidgeted his face and body with every question asked and step taken by you and Connor while his LED spun around in yellow and red, indicating high levels of stress from your partner's scan of him as well as your naturalistic observations. Therefore, you decided to try and get Ralph calm to maybe get him to talk as you reassured him with a concerned facial expression and kind eyes, "It's okay, we're not here to hurt anyone so you can trust us. We just want to talk and look around your home. Do you mind?" 

"No, Ralph doesn't mind. So long as the pretty human lady doesn't hurt Ralph." Ralph begged in the third person as he looked to you with blue eyes leaking tears that practically begged you to want to give him a big hug as you nodded with your eyes holding back tears while you took a deep breath to avoid sobbing right then and there so you could get through this case, "I promise on my father's good name, I and my partner won't hurt you. You have my word." At once, the blonde stared curiously at you since he wasn't used to humans being nice to him while you asked him, "What happened to your face and arms? Did humans do this to you?" 

"Ralph doesn't want to talk about it. It's too painful for Ralph." Ralph answered back with teary baby blues as you nodded in understanding, "I'm so sorry and I hope you find peace from this tragedy. I totally get it. You don't have to tell me if you're not feeling it. I shouldn't have asked, but as a detective, I just can't help myself." Giving a small smile to Ralph, you tip-toed to what looked like a makeshift dining room as you and Connor combed the inside of the shack before you beckoned for your partner to come to you with another wave of your hand. At once, the male detective came to your side before you announced your observations to him, "Look over there. There's a fresh fire and a table of food set for three. Androids don't require physical food or warmth to survive, but humans do. Maybe the AX400 really is traveling with a kid." 

"Perhaps." Connor nodded as he noticed a wooden door nearby before he pushed it open, revealing knife carvings of the words "I am alive" and "RA9" on the walls of the kitchen as you remarked with widened eyes and raised eyebrows, "And here's more scribbles, just like what Carlos's android did when he became deviant." 

Turning back to Ralph as Connor shut the door to the kitchen, you and your partner walked back up to Ralph before the male detective explained his findings to the gardening android, "There was blue blood on the fence. I know another android was here."

"Ralph scratched himself coming through. That's Ralph's blood." Ralph stuttered with a twitch in his body and head as you and Connor exchanged a look, knowing he was lying right through his teeth since you both had already analyzed the blood on the fence and matched it to be that of an AX400. Therefore, Connor kept pressing him with questions as he looked Ralph in the eye, blue and brown staring into each other, "Are there any other androids here?" 

"Other androids?...No...Ralph is alone." Ralph lied again as he fidgeted again while he diverted his gaze to the ground before you and Connor took a few steps towards the staircase, walking up a few paces before the male detective turned to Ralph, "Is anyone upstairs?" 

"No, nobody." Ralph answered confidently without a bodily fidget or grimace of fear on his face. Giving you a nod as he tapped your shoulder once with his fist, Connor signaled to you that Ralph was telling truth as you nodded back, signifying that you understood before you both came down from the staircase. Rounding the corner, you noticed an empty compartment under the stairs as Connor decided to investigate before you both caught sight of a blue-eyed, fair-skinned female AX400 and a little human girl who had brown eyes and a brown ponytail to match fair skin. At once, Ralph grabbed you by the back of your coat and threw you down on the floor like a rag-doll as you collided with the ground face-first, your hands below you to brace you so it looked as though you were doing push-ups. At the same time, Connor screamed out your name with a worried tone as Ralph held your partner back by death-gripping his shoulders so that your partner couldn't move before he screamed, "RUN! QUICK! KARA!" Within a flash, the AX400 and little girl sprinted out of the shack and out the back door before Ralph threw Connor on the ground, causing him to collide into a box with the back of his head as Ralph apologized profusely with his hands up in front of him in surrender. Ignoring Ralph to check on your partner, you looked Connor over for injuries as you asked, "Oh gosh, Connor, are you alright?" After giving a small nod and a reply of "Yeah" to calm your worries as your tone showed nothing but genuine concern for his wellbeing, Connor helped you to your feet just as Hank burst into the house by breaking down the front door. Upon seeing you and Connor helping each other off the floor while Ralph trembled in the corner with his hands still up in surrender, Hank became worried as he asked, "Connor, (Name), what's going on?" 

"It's here! Call it in!" Connor hollered as he followed Kara's trail out the back door in a mad sprint while you screamed over your shoulder at Hank as you did suicide sprints to catch up with your android partner, "You stay here! I'll follow Connor!" Finally catching up to Connor on a nearby sidewalk, the male android looked to a uniformed police officer as he asked, "Which way did it go?"

"That way-they're headed for the train station!" The male officer answered as he pointed down the street with his index finger before Connor gave a nod to insinuate that he comprehended the man's words. After giving the officer a shout of "Thanks," you and Connor raced down the road to catch up to Kara and the little girl before police cars flashing with red and blue lights followed by sirens blaring blocked the last street near the sidewalk. At once, another uniformed officer pointed with his index finger to the end of the street, which showed the two girls escaping over a tall chainlink fence as he shouted, "They're over there!" Giving another nod to the officer to signify his understanding of the new information, you shouted back another "Thanks" to the officer before you sprinted behind Connor down the street, colliding with a crash into the fence as you both gripped the metal. Staring into eyes of brown and blue as those eyes stared back at you and Connor's eyes of brown and (Eye Color), Kara and the little girl continued to stare at you and your partner before they gasped upon seeing a uniformed officer point a handgun at them. At once, you jumped in front of the path of the handgun with your hands up to defend Kara and the little girl, "No, wait!" 

"Don't shoot! We need it alive!" Connor warned as he held a single hand up too in order to defend the female android and the human girl while his other hand clutched the inside of the holes in the metal fence before Hank caught up to you and Connor. With exhausted huffs exiting his throat as he bent over with his hands on his knees, Hank definitely looked winded after years of not being in shape due to diet and exercise before you, him, and Connor watched Kara and the little girl cross the road, which was full of automatic cars speeding like they were on the Autobahn. Once they got to the center median of the road, Connor attempted to hop the fence as Hank grabbed his jacket and pulled him back down with a shout, "Hey, where you goin?" 

"No, stop! Connor, don't do it!" You shouted too as you pulled Connor off the fence by gripping the other side of his jacket before the male android announced with determination to catch up to Kara and the little girl, "I can't let them get away!" This only caused Hank to scoff with a wave of his hand as if to show Connor his true thoughts in regards to Kara and the little girl's current predicament, "They won't! They'll never make it to the other side!"

"I can't take that chance!" Connor hollered again as he attempted to climb up the fence a second time before you begged him with a frightened tone and equally-frightened eyes that became more glassy with each sentence, "Connor, just let them go; we'll get them another time. It's not worth getting a partner killed over to catch a little girl and an android because I won't watch you die!" 

"Do NOT go after them, Connor! That's an order!" Hank firmly stated as he grabbed the other side of Connor's jacket and pulled him off the fence. Repeating the memory of your words in his mind, Connor took notice of the fear of your tone as well as the look you gave him with your beautiful eyes. Heartbreaking and full of passionate emotion, Connor knew that when you begged him not to chase after Kara and the little girl, it was because you were scared of losing him like you did your father years ago. After seeing you give a gaze like that once towards Hank when he almost answered Connor's question about why he hated androids, Connor had determined then that he couldn't bear to see you like that ever again and he couldn't bear to see you like that now. 

(Software Instability ^^^^^^^^^^)

It was no wonder then why he let go of the fence and climbed back down to the ground as you looked to him with a gaze that signified satisfaction that he didn't go after the culprits and relief that you didn't have to lose him. Staring off into the distance at Kara and the little girl as they made it safely across the road, you saw the two of them hug tenderly like a mother and daughter would as Connor stared intently at the two individuals he let get away so he wouldn't hurt you. At the same time, he noticed the soft flash of a closed-mouth grin you gave towards the pair of females before your eyes stared at the ground, a melancholic expression appearing on your pretty face. Connor didn't know why you looked this way since the only logical explanation was that you missed your late father and that the little girl and Kara reminded you of the bond you once had. However, Connor figured there was a deeper, personal issue that caused you such internal pain based on the way your eyes looked heavy and glassy with grief and your face tried to appear emotionless to avoid worrying your coworkers. However, a soft smile with gentle eyes graced your features as swiftly as your sad frown did before you looked to Connor upon noticing the way he stared at you as if he was scanning you. Then, after pausing for a beat to collect yourself, you suggested that you, Hank, and Connor take a breather. Nodding to you in agreement, Connor and Hank followed you down the street as you led the way. 

One thing was certain that Connor couldn't deny. While you were saddened by the loss of your father, a cop who gave his life to save his partner Lieutenant Anderson, Connor figured something else was occurring in your life to cause your serotonin levels to be thrown off balance whenever even the mention of your father or a big family with loving parents and happy children came up in conversation. You were from a broken family, that much was obvious. You were also a hard worker who established a steady career and who made a name for yourself in your dream field without living in the shadow of your famous father. Even with your personal issues, it never took away from your intelligence and skills as a detective specializing in cases involving red ice dealers, murderers, and deviants. In Connor's eyes, you were still a competent, functioning human being in spite of your minor anxiety and minor depression. However, in order to understand you better, Connor needed to spend more time with you as his field partner so he could learn more about you. He never failed a mission and he wasn't about to start now. He WOULD uncover the secrets behind your sadness so he could try to help you. Sure, he wasn't a caretaker android, but he didn't want to leave you alone to suffer in silence. No one likes being alone; Connor knew that much from working with humans that were apprehending deviants. Therefore, Connor decided that he wouldn't leave you since he hated to see you hurt, whether by physical means or emotional. You never gave up on him in regards to giving him a choice as if he was human and you were always kind and conscientious towards him when it came to his physical and mental state. Therefore, the least he could do was extend the same courtesy to you, the beautiful human female who constantly made his software become unstable, his thirium pump beat fast, and his body overheat.


	10. DBH Connor/RK800 X Fem! Reader - Lunch Break at the Chicken Feed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Greetings, ladies and gentleman. Here's another DBH Connor oneshot for you guys to enjoy. This will be part one of the oneshots corresponding to the video game chapter The Nest, so I'll have part two up shortly once I'm done writing it. 
> 
> The choices I made for the dialogue for this oneshot and all Connor oneshots are choices I made in the game when I played it, so I'll provide another YouTube link to the original dialogue to avoid plagerism since Detroit: Become Human doesn't belong to me. 
> 
> Link = https://youtu.be/xVEPpwqQh5k

After losing Kara and the little girl back at the road near the squat that the deviant Ralph hid out in, you and Connor followed Hank to a local food truck to take a breather and get a bite to eat. Parking in front of The Chicken Feed, you and Connor remained in the car and listened to the blaring heavy metal music while Hank hopped out and crossed the road, greeting the owner of the food truck politely before he began speaking warmly to an African-American man who was reclined against the counter of the truck. After a few minutes of sitting in silence, Connor turned around to get a good look at you since you were staring off into the distance blindly, as if your mind was preoccupied with something. However, the male android soon snapped you out of it as he asked, "Sergeant (Last Name), are you alright? You seem troubled."

"Oh, I'm fine, Connor. Please don't mind me. Just thinking about all the deviant cases that we have together and all the evidence we gathered." You grinned warmly at your partner as you brushed everything off, even when you knew that Connor would be able to recognize changes in your physiological reactions to your psychological state of mind and even when you also knew that he noticed the way you acted when you saw Kara and that little girl hug. Your suspicions were soon confirmed as Connor continued his interrogation of his partner's wellbeing, his hand reaching out to grip yours as he squeezed it to ground you back into reality and away from your inter-most thoughts, "Are you sure? I only ask because you seemed sad when you saw the AX400 and that human girl hugging once they crossed the street."

"Oh, well...I guess they just reminded me of my mom and I. But I assure you, I'm totally fine." You promised as you smiled at Connor, squeezing his hand back to ground him so he wouldn't have to be burdened with worry in regards to you. Figuring that you didn't want to talk to him just yet about the entirety of your life story, Connor backed off as he gave you a nod of acknowledgement and understanding, which you reciprocated promptly, before you both exited the vehicle and followed Hank shortly afterwards. 

As soon as you and Connor stood beside him, Hank rolled his baby blues with a huff before he confronted your partner, "What is your problem? Don't you ever do as you're told?...Look, you don't have to follow me around like a poodle!" Giving a look like a kicked puppy with shining chocolate irises, Connor dropped his gaze to the sidewalk as he stood still with his hands clasping behind his back. After a few moments, Connor leaned closer to Hank with his head as he meant every word of his next sincere statement, "I'm sorry for my behavior back at the police station. I didn't mean to be unpleasant."

"Oh wow...You've even got a brown-nosing apology program! Guys at CyberLife thought of everything, huh?" Hank joked with a chuckle as you gazed back and forth between the two men, smiling inwardly and outwardly since it seemed as though they were getting along better. It wasn't exactly perfect, given Connor's instructions to complete the mission assigned to him and Hank's extreme dislike of androids, but it was a step in the right direction. Who knows? One day, Hank and Connor could actually become great friends and field partners if the right conditions occurred 95-99% of the time they interacted together. You just hoped with optimism that such a probability could occur. 

As you were thinking to yourself again and getting lost in your thoughts, Gary handed you and Hank your usual orders as he announced a simple 'Here you go' before Hank nodded in gratitude, "Ah, thanks, Gary. I'm starving." You also thanked Gary for your chicken sandwich and bottle of water with a soft smile while the male cook gave you a nod followed by his own soft smile. Taking your food with you, you and Hank walked over to a nearby table, sheltered from the pouring rain by a beach umbrella, before Gary warned, "Don't leave that thing here!"

"Gary, he's fine. He's our field partner." You explained back since you felt offended by the fact that Gary thought Connor would drive locals away from the business just because he was an android before Hank joked again with a chuckle, "Huh, not a chance! Follows me everywhere...See?" Once you both were comfortable, the older man gave a sigh of relief as he opened the cardboard box and took a bite of the savory sandwich, prompting you to open your own box and take a bite of your own sandwich before sipping a large amount of water. During the meal, you gave a small burp into your fist because of the water as you excused yourself politely, apologizing for being a bit of a fast, messy eater since you didn't eat much the night before. Connor didn't seem to mind since he remarked that you were perfectly fine due to the fact that all androids and humans needed a fuel source in order to perform daily functions while Hank joked that you ate like a teenage boy living in their parents' basement, making you call him an 'old man' as you slapped his arm playfully and caused both of you to laugh. Just seeing the joy in your eyes after seeing you so sad in three events in the time he knew you, it made Connor smile inwardly as banners flashing messages such as 'Her laugh is the most adorable I've ever heard' and 'She looks better with a smile on her face' appeared in his current field of vision. To be frank, seeing you happy made him happy because while he didn't like to admit since he was an android who always completed his missions, he always cared for your wellbeing since you always cared about his. 

(Software Instability ^ )

Therefore, he felt no nervousness around you and Hank as you finished your chicken sandwich, looking back at Connor with a closed-mouth grin and friendly eyes of (Eye Color) as he nodded with a smile back to you, while the older man continued to munch on his burger. In fact, this newfound confidence inspired Connor to speak up around you and Hank after taking a shy, polite approach before he explained to your father figure, "I don't want to alarm you, Lieutenant, but I think your friends are engaged in illegal activities." 

"Well, everyone does what they have to, to get by. As long as they're not hurting anybody, I don't bother 'em." Hank shrugged with a friendly tone towards Connor's statement as you rolled your eyes nonchalantly since you knew Hank was right even if it conflicted you as an enforcer of the law before your android partner changed the subject, "Do you two eat here often?" 

"Most days. Gary makes the best burger in Detroit." Hank nodded as he took another bite of his burger before you joked, "I think you also failed to mention that he has health violations broken in every area of being a food truck owner and has resisted arrest several times. If I was Gordon Ramsey on Kitchen Nightmares, I'd be appalled and probably slap him with a spatula." After nodding his head while chuckling under his breath at your humor, Hank exchanged a smile with you as Connor looked on, mesmerized by the bond you both shared even when you and your older field partner were unrelated by blood. He figured that your bond was stronger because your father, Hank's former field partner, had died on a sting operation while saving the lieutenant, causing Hank to feel guilty and try to form a strong relationship with you in order to give you a good male role model. However, there was something more to the relationship that Connor could detect, seeing that guilt didn't play a role in the strength of the bond but rather similar life experiences and deeper understanding instead. But why you two understood each other so well and what experiences caused such an understanding, Connor had unwavering determination to fully understand who he was working with since he had a lot to learn about you and Hank. In the back of his mind though, Connor wondered to himself what a bond like that would be like with another human, especially you and Hank since he thought you two were the best partners that he had the pleasure of working with. However, he figured that he could never have such a bond with you or Hank, given that he was an android assigned to only work with you two in order to complete his mission of hunting deviants for CyberLife. 

(Software Instability ^ )

However, Connor couldn't rid himself of the memory of you and Hank begging him not to go over that fence to chase after Kara and the little girl. So it was no wonder that he asked you both about it with the intent of learning the real reason why you both cared about his safety and wellbeing, "This morning, when we were chasing those deviants, why didn't you and (Name) want me to cross the highway?" 

"Cause you could've been killed...and I don't like filling out paperwork for damaged equipment." Hank explained, even when it was obvious to you and Connor that he was trying to hide the fact that this particular android was growing on him, before you admitted with sincerity in your tone and your heart on your sleeve as your eyes told your side of the story, "I didn't want to watch my partner get hurt in the field while doing their job because I was scared of losing you like...like my dad...You're my partner, Connor, so I definitely care about if something happens to you." 

(Software Instability ^ )

Nodding in confirmation of what you and Hank told him, Connor didn't know what to think. He knew you definitely cared for him, partly because you were a sympathetic person and partly because you lost your father at the tender age of eighteen, when most children were spending more time with their parents before they graduated high school and went away to college in order to be more like independent adults. So he totally understood why you would care about  him so much, even if he didn't want to admit that he cared for you too with a chemistry that would be deemed stronger than that of two colleagues working together on a case, despite only knowing you for a couple days. But Hank, a man who absolutely detested androids, caring about him? This was new information to Connor that he found near-impossible to compute. Then again, humans were as unpredictable as lightning and as passionate as Romeo Montague, and since he was an RK800, unlikely events that only had a small percentage of happening were what he was born to interact with daily. 

However, why Hank hated androids was still a mystery to Connor, so he tried to get a concrete answer as he asked your father figure, "Can I ask you a personal question, Lieutenant? Why do you hate androids so much?" 

"I have my reasons." Hank announced with baby blues staring Connor down with such a pain to them that only a person with a similar life circumstance could understand, causing you and your android partner to look at the lieutenant in sympathy for his plight since you knew the real reason and Connor didn't want to anger his new partner again like he had previously done at the station on accident. Therefore, Connor dropped the topic of Hank hating androids altogether as he moved on, "Is there anything you'd like to know about me?"

Since you remembered Connor asking you the same questions, you zoned out for a few minutes as you thought about what you had told him in regards to why you didn't want him to go out into the busy streets to chase Kara and the human girl. You meant every word and every action, knowing full well that if you had the choice again, you would never take either one back. If Connor put himself in harm's way again, you knew that you wouldn't hesitate to protect him. But why were you so protective? Was it because your father died an honorable cop while saving your father figure, his long-time partner from the police academy, and you were always on pins and needles with anxiety over losing Hank or Connor in the same way since they were your partners and you were a cop yourself? Yes, that was a partial explanation for your past actions. But what could explain your kindness towards Connor? You always were respectful to androids and humans alike, but with Connor, it was different. Around him, you weren't nice to him because bullying in the workplace was unacceptable, you had to tolerate him because of work, or because you were raised by your parents to always have good manners in public. You always made a conscious choice to be kind to Connor and treat him as if he were human, even on the first meeting when you had never seen anything like him. You didn't know how and you didn't know why, but this male android made you feel such a love that you've never had for any other person before, not even your own parents or Hank because this love you felt for Connor felt like so much more than the familiar bond of parents to their children and vice versa. But that was impossible, or was it? An android couldn't feel love and they certainly couldn't fall in love with a human. Then again, if statistics in psychology and sociology taught you anything, it was that the most common occurrences of a particular event happened 95-99% of the time with a 1-5% chance of unlikely events potentially coming true given the right conditions. Even if you, a human, did fall in love with an android like Connor, it was hard to tell if he fell in love with you too. You couldn't read an android's mind since you weren't of their kind, and while Connor acted more sympathetic and human than most of your kind in your keen observations, you figured he was just going to follow his mission and nothing more since love was not permitted for him. Therefore, you kept silent on what you were thinking, unaware that Connor noticed a shift in your mood while he stared at you but still paid attention to Hank. When you finally regained attention to the conversation, you picked up on Hank beginning to make a joke before he finally asked Connor, "Why did they make you look so goofy and give you that weird voice?

"CyberLife androids are designed to work harmoniously with humans. Both my appearance and voice were specifically designed to facilitate my integration." Connor answered before Hank made another snide comment, causing you to give your father figure a look that asked the question of 'Really?' before your android partner changed the subject one last time as Hank was half-way through his burger, "Maybe I should tell you what we know about deviants?"

"You read my mind. Proceed." Hank shrugged his shoulders as he took another bite of his food before Connor explained,   
"We believe a mutation occurs in the software of some androids, which can lead to them emulating a human emotion."

"In English please." 

"They don't really feel emotions; they just get overwhelmed by irrational instructions, which can lead to unpredictable behavior. 

"Emotions always screw everything up...Maybe androids aren't as different from us as we thought. You ever dealt with deviants before?" Hank asked Connor again while your male android partner stared off into the distance blindly, his chocolate irises widening in fear as a soft gasp escaped his plump lips. Looking at Connor in concern, you clutched his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze to ground him back into reality and away from his subconscious before Connor gasped again, staring at you with wide eyes as you stared wide-eyed while biting your bottom lip, with nothing short of empathy lacing your every facial feature and iris shine. After Connor finally was able to calm himself down, you grinned warmly at him before you felt him squeeze your hand back to reassure you that he was fine before he continued with his story, "A few months back, a deviant was threatening to jump off the roof with a little girl. I managed to save her." 

"So I guess you've done all your homework, right? Know everything there is to know about me and (Name)?" Hank questioned with the intent of getting to know his partner and what Connor actually thought of you both before the male android answered with clear diction and good eye contact with you and your father figure, his speech being straight to the point like an arrow to a target, "I know you both graduated top of your classes. I know (Name) worked with abnormal behavior studies in college as a research assistant to a university laboratory. You and (Name) both made names for yourselves in several cases, with you becoming the youngest lieutenant in Detroit and (Name) becoming the first sergeant and first female officer to successfully gain confessions from deviants without them self-destructing. Lieutenant, I also know that you've received several disciplinary warnings in recent years and you spend a lot of time in bars." 

"So what's your conclusion?" 

"I think working with officers with personal issues is an added challenge, but adapting to human unpredictability is one of my features." After giving a small wink with one eye at you and Hank followed by a tender grin, you noticed Connor's eyes dilate before squinting quickly as his LED flashed from blue to yellow then back to blue. Concerned for his wellbeing again, you asked Connor what was wrong with him before he announced aloud, "I just got a report of a suspected deviant. It's a few blocks away; we should go have a look. I'll let you finish your meal, Lieutenant. I'll be in the car if you need me." 

"I'll be waiting in the car too." You announced as you threw away your trash in the nearest metal bin before you accompanied Connor, walking side by side with him as Hank looked at you two with curiosity brewing in his aging visage. For a moment there, he thought that you both exchanged a tender glance with each other that was reminiscent of love at first sight. Then again, Connor had once told Hank that androids didn't feel anything and just made rash or irrational decisions based on broken software caused by going against their original programming, which gave off the illusion of emotions. But one thing was certain, Hank couldn't deny how much Connor admired and adored you, even if the android was too bashful or too frightened to admit it. He also couldn't deny that you and Connor did care for each other, each one of you having your own personal reasons for doing so, with the male android most likely doing it out of necessity to carry out his missions successfully and you doing it out of sincere concern for the wellbeing of your field partners after living with the reality of your father being deceased due to his occupation. It was also obvious that you two acted as each other's rocks whenever the other was in a state of disarray mentally or physically, as evidenced by how you protected Connor from Gavin and even Hank himself with such a passion that the elder lieutenant had not seen before since he had his son Cole. Knowing you would take a bullet for Connor just as Hank knew he'd do the same for Cole if he was still around, Hank knew that whatever the case was, he couldn't hide his true emotions since you and Connor always knew him better than he knew himself sometimes. Whatever the case was, Hank had to admit that maybe Connor was growing on him and maybe, just maybe, he had a growing affection for you. All these deep thoughts paced back and forth through Hank's apperception as he finished off his burger before he threw his trash away, entered the vehicle, and followed Connor's directions on how to get to the area where the report for the suspected deviant came from.


	11. DBH Connor/RK800 X Fem! Reader - Saving my Savior

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Here's another DBH Connor oneshot for you guys to enjoy. This will also be part two of the oneshots corresponding to the video game chapter The Nest. 
> 
> I'll provide another YouTube link to the original dialogue and scenes to avoid plagerism since Detroit: Become Human doesn't belong to me. 
> 
> Link = https://youtu.be/h3aB2pM713c

"Hey, Connor! You ran outta batteries or what?" Hank asked his android field partner as Connor blinked several times with his enticing chocolate irises to regain focus towards your father figure's question before he apologized for lingering in the elevator to the apartment, "I'm sorry, I was making a report to CyberLife."

"Uh...Well, do you plan on staying in the elevator?" Hank asked again before Connor reassured, "No, I'm coming." After a few minutes of time to himself, Connor accompanied you out of the elevator since you refused to leave the android you called friend alone before Hank tried to get up to speed with the emergency call that came in, "What do we know about the guy?" 

"Not much. Just that a neighbor reported that he heard strange noises coming from this floor. Nobody's supposed to be living here, but the neighbor said he saw a man hiding an LED under his cap." Connor explained as he followed you and Hank in the hallway before he noticed something. At once, the male android knelt down to gaze upon the object, noticing pigeon feathers of all types strewn altogether in a messy heap, before your father figure rolled his eyes with a shrug, "Oh, Christ. If we have to investigate every time someone hears a strange noise, we're gonna need more cops." 

"Well, you see or hear something, it's better to say something than not say anything at all. That's what I believe would stop a lot of crimes before they even occurred, if the infamous 'bystander effect' never existed." You replied as Connor and Hank listened intently to your calm rant before the lieutenant shrugged with a chuckle and a warm grin directed at you, "Well, you're not wrong there, (Nickname)." Exchanging your own warm grin with your father figure and android partner, you turned to the front door of the apartment as you decided to go first to see if anyone would answer. Knocking on the decrepit wood lightly, you decided to take a good cop approach to the situation as you looked to Connor and Hank for permission to speak before calling out prettily, "Hello, is anyone there?"

When no answer or sign of movement came, you nodded to Connor to try his hand at getting the person to answer the door as he banged on the wood with a closed fist, taking a bad cop approach this time with a firm voice after getting a nod of approval from Hank,  "Open up! Detroit Police!" After a few minutes of silence, you shrugged to Connor and Hank as your father figure shrugged back at you and his android partner before there was a loud thud echoing from inside the apartment, indicating that someone was on the move. At once, the three of you prepared for the unexpected with widened eyes laser-focused on the task at hand to avoid injury or death to each other before Hank pulled out his handgun and cocked it, looking at nothing but the door as he gave a command to Connor, "Stay behind me."

"And stay close to us." You suggested as well as you cocked your own handgun in front of you before Connor nodded with a simple reply of 'Got it.' Pulling back his leg as high and far back as it would go, Hank brought down his leg in a swift side kick that broke down the door as if Hercules himself had ripped it off the hinges before you and your father figure entered the apartment. Checking each room with your guns acting as your first line of defense and your body immediately going into 'fight-or-flight mode' with 100% alertness, you and Hank checked the hallway rooms nearest to the front door, with you and Connor only managing to find one room with corn-maze shaped symbols written in black marker on the walls. Eventually, you three came to the door at the end of the hall as Hank looked around and listened intently, giving you and Connor a nod to insinuate that he was ready to go before he kicked that door down again. However, unlike the last time, dozens of pigeons flew out from this particular door as they swarmed Hank, who cursed profusely like a sailor at this while you and Connor followed him inside shortly afterwards. 

After a few minutes of canvassing the inner-most room of the apartment, Hank walked towards the boarded-up windows as he remarked under his breath with a disgusted visage, "Jesus, this place stinks."

"It's probably all the bird crap and dirt in here." You answered back as you told Hank about your observations before the older detective shrugged with a defeated sigh, "Uh, looks like we came here for nothin. Our man's gone." For several agonizing minutes, the trio that consisted of you, Connor, and Hank scouted around the entire apartment in order to find clues as to the suspect's whereabouts, which led you and Connor to start from the main entrance to the room and work your way to the back towards the windows and bathroom. 

Walking to the nearby closet, Connor scanned the door to find any lifeforms inside only to see pigeons fly out once the French-style doors were slid open. Taking note of all of your observations with your tape recorder, Connor waited for you to finish completely before you stuffed the handheld device back in the front breast pocket of your leather jacket. With (Eye Color) irises scanning the closet for yourself, you attempted to theorize about the suspect as you came to only one conclusion so far, given the little evidence you had at the moment, "If the suspect still was here, the closet would be too obvious of a hiding spot. And if they tried to escape out of the window, we would've caught them in the act as they were climbing out." 

"You could be onto something, Sergeant (Name)." Connor nodded at your expert opinion while you closed the closet doors again before your android partner noticed a poster for agriculture hanging on the wall. After scanning it several times, Connor noticed that the poster had been recently hung due to the condition of the paper's upper right corner, which prompted him to remove the poster from the wall with a swift tear as he found a leather-bound notebook hiding in the gaping crevice. With feather-light steps, you made your way behind your partner as you questioned him, "Find anything?"

"Yes, a notebook, but it's indecipherable." Connor responded back as he handed it to you to browse, which you did for several seconds as you questioned aloud, "You think it's the suspect's?"

"Perhaps." Connor nodded before you shook your head with a shrug at not understanding what the corn maze symbols meant while you apologized, "Those symbols look like the same ones we found in the room right next to the front door. But I have no idea what these symbols mean. I wish I was a better help to the case." However, Connor would have no negativity coming from you as he shrugged with a soft grin and sparkling brown orbs, "You're perfectly fine, Sergeant (Last Name). You're not the only one who is clueless about what the symbols mean, so we're both in the same boat. Your other observations have been right on point though." 

"You're exactly right. Thanks, Connor." You replied as you pat the back of the male android's shoulder tenderly while his LED flicked from blue to yellow to red and then slowly back to its comforting blue in response to your actions. In the back of his mind palace, Connor didn't know why you made him feel certain things that he didn't know he could feel. For some weird reason, you made him feel so special and so alive that he couldn't even explain how he felt towards you in human words or binary code. But in all the time he spent with you, he didn't ever regret it and he didn't want to forget the way you made him feel. Even so much as a kind smile or a gentle grin would be enough to send Connor into a state of internal euphoria followed by confusion as to why he felt something special for you and why he felt anything at all whenever you were around.

(Software Instability ^ )

Snapping himself back into reality, Connor shook his head and blinked his eyes rapidly to regain his focus before he stuffed the leather notebook into the back pocket of his jeans while Hank went to the windows with a snide comment of 'I need some fresh air.' After pausing for a few more minutes to collect himself, Connor heard you call out to him from the other side of the room as you beckoned him over to the mini fridge with a wave of your hand before you pointed with your index finger to indicate your findings after you had recorded your observations into your tape recorder while he was still dazed,  "Look, no food in the fridge. That means the suspect doesn't eat." Nodding with a small grin at what your eyes had caught sight of, Connor's current field of vision alerted him to something out of the corner of his left eye, a box laying on the kitchen counter as it was covered by pigeons. Moving closer to investigate it, Connor shooed the birds away lightly as he picked up the box to scan it while he shook it around only to find no human traces on the cardboard and only one-fourth of the container being filled with bird seed. 

"Bird food?" You asked while peering over Connor's shoulder with knitted eyebrows and lips curled in confusion before Connor responded, "Perhaps the suspect feeds the pigeons here." Mulling over his theory in your head, you shrugged with your head bopping back and forth as if you were listening to a song before Connor's eyes scanned the room, focusing on a jacket laying on a small table, before he announced, "R.T. Probably initials." 

"He put his initials on his jacket? That's something your mom does when you're in first grade." Hank joked while he continued to walk around the apartment to comb for clues before Connor looked up into an empty cabinet. Pulling down a driver's license, Connor inspected the laminated card intently before you and him exchanged a tell-tale glance, causing the male android to put the ID back on the shelf of the cabinet as he shouted out to Hank, "The driver's license is fake."

"Cool! At least we didn't come for nothing." Hank called back over his shoulder while he shrugged again before you and Connor decided to investigate the bathroom together. Noticing some hair, feathers, and blood in the sink, you watched as Connor dipped two fingers into the blue liquid so he could sample it with his tongue while you gazed at him in awe. After a real-time analysis of the contents of the blood, Connor looked to you before he announced,  
"The blood in the sink came from a WB200."

"So it's an agriculture android?"

"Correct." Connor nodded with sparkling chocolate irises before you shrugged with a grin, "That would explain all the corn maze-looking symbols in the house and in that notebook you found earlier." Scanning the bathroom again, Connor noticed a blue android's LED laying across the ivory marble of the sink as he rubbed it in-between his fingers while he flipped it over multiple times to scan it before he called out to Hank, who was still in the living room with the pigeons, "Its LED is in the sink." 

However, Hank wasn't even paying attention to you and Connor as he mused to himself aloud, "Real books, I thought (Name) and I were the last ones in Detroit to keep some. Electronic books, you can't smell the paper, see the pages turning yellow." Then, thinking to himself about what he just said, Hank looked to Connor, who was still scanning the bathroom while you also looked for more clues before he shrugged, "You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?" 

"Connor, look, there's that RA9 again. That suspect must really be a deviant." You replied as you indicated to the black words written all over the bathroom wall like graffiti in a subway with your index finger to get Connor to see it too before Hank joined you both in the bathroom. Putting his hands in his pockets, Hank's baby blues squinted with every reading of the word 'RA9' on the walls before he looked to his android partner and even you for answers, "Any idea what it means?"

"RA9...Written 2471 times. It's the same sign Ortiz's android wrote on the shower wall." Connor announced before you asked, "You think the suspect deviant could have OCD?"

"Perhaps. It's definitely evident in the amount of writing on the wall." Connor nodded to you as he believed that your theories were as expert as his before you also made a remark while staring at the wall again, "It's also the same symbol I've seen in the deviant cases I've done in the past. I just want to know who RA9 is." 

"Why are they obsessed with this sign?" Connor mused to himself under his breath before Hank took a closer look at the wall, noticing that the words were creating a distinct shape as he shrugged, "Looks like mazes or something."

"Connor and I did find a notebook that we believe belonged to the suspect. It had symbols shaped like the ones on the wall written inside it, but we couldn't decipher it." You recounted to Hank as he nodded in acknowledgement to your observations and those of his android partner before he shrugged while he exited the bathroom, "I'll leave you two alone. You need me, I'm in the next room." 

"Okay, be careful." You warned your father figure politely as you both exchanged a deep glance that made Connor stop in his tracks so he could admire the bond that you and Hank shared before the older detective left the bathroom to rejoin the pigeons. 

In the meanwhile, you darted your eyes around the bathroom to investigate for more clues until you noticed Connor staring intently at a wooden stool, which was broken and laying on the floor. At once, you knelt down beside your partner to see what it was that maybe you overlooked as you asked him, "Connor, what do you see?"

After scanning the stool and reconstructing the scene, Connor came up with a valid theory before he recounted it to you, "The suspect was writing on the wall recently and heard us coming. He fell from the stool and dropped the marker, and then ran to the living room." 

"So maybe he's still here. But where would he go?" 

"That's what we have yet to find out." Connor announced as you and him followed the trail that he reconstructed in the bathroom before you remarked, "Well, I noticed there was a fallen bird cage when we came in the living room. So maybe the deviant ran from the bathroom into the cage. But like I said before when we investigated the closet, there's no windows or doors open and no indication he left the apartment...Unless-" Staring up at the ceiling where a chair was conveniently placed underneath a gaping hole, you pointed to the attic with your index finger as you tapped Connor's shoulder to get his attention once he was done reconstructing the path of the deviant from the bathroom to the bird cage. Nodding in agreement to your theory being correct, Connor gave you a small grin as he whispered a 'good job, Sergeant' under his breath to congratulate you for your success before he went to the chair under the attic. After looking up at the ceiling for several moments, Connor noticed a shadowy figure moving about before it jumped on top of him, knocking him down before taking off down the hallway as Hank cursed profusely again at the pigeons that swarmed him from the attic when the deviant jumped. After collecting himself, Hank looked to Connor as you helped him up quickly before he commanded, "What're you waiting for? Chase it!" 

Suicide sprinting after the deviant, Connor followed the suspect across rooftops, inside greenhouses and electric rooms, and through fields of heavy vegetation, both male androids equally skilled in parkour and speed. At the same time, you and Hank followed their trail and tried to cut the deviant off but were unsuccessful since the suspect was too fast for a human to catch on foot. However, you were slowly gaining on him and Connor since you were the younger detective at the tender age of twenty-one. Therefore, high-speed chases by foot or car to catch a criminal were nothing new to you even though you weren't nearly half as fast or half as cool as Connor when he did it. 

After what seemed like seconds of running, you and Hank finally managed to cut the deviant off on a rooftop as your father figure pulled out his handgun and shouted, "STOP RIGHT THERE!"

"Hands up and behind your head, now!" You shouted as well while you also pulled out the gun on the deviant before the male android charged you, knocking your gun out of your hand as he engaged in a fist fight with you. Matching his every punch with a block of your arms, the android managed to knock you off your feet by grabbing you by the leg that you extended out to kick him with, throwing you to the side as you collided back-first with a bone-shattering thud as you attempted to get off the ground quickly to help Hank. Grabbing your forehead to avoid vertigo from standing too quickly, you watched as the male android pushed Hank over the edge of the concrete balcony while he screamed before you yelled out, "HANK!" Snapping your hand out to grip his like a snake attacking its prey, you put all your weight into attempting to pull him back onto the roof while you reassured him through gritted teeth and exhausted pants, "It's okay, I got you. Just hang on!"

At once, Connor emerged from the cornfield in the nick of time to see the deviant push Hank and run off again as you reached out for your father figure to pull him back up. Having mere seconds to make a choice, Connor first went to you before you commanded, "I got Hank; you get the deviant!" Nodding to you as he understood your statement, Connor prepared to chase after the suspect until he heard familiar grunts coming from where you and Hank were on the roof. At once, he watched as Hank's footing slipped on the concrete and his weight pulled you down, causing you to go over the edge of the balcony with a gaps that quickly turned into a scream.

Within a millisecond of seeing the high probability of you and Hank both falling, Connor abandoned his mission of chasing the deviant as he rushed back to you. Grasping your waist in his strong hands so that his fingers tightly clutched to the leather of your jacket, Connor pulled you back up by using your jacket-clad hips as leverage before he whispered softly in your ear, "It's okay, I got you, (Name)." With panicked breathes escaping out of your mouth while your body convulsed in his arms and your heart beat out of your chest, your entire life flashing before your eyes, you continued to grip Hank as Connor successfully pulled you both back up onto the roof. Crawling to his knees, Hank started cursing profusely as he couldn't believe that the deviant got away while Connor tip-toed back to you to avoid startling you and giving you a heart attack. Looking you over for injuries with his scanners, Connor found nothing wrong with you except for a normal emotion of fear as evidenced by your still-racing heart, hyperventilating breathes, and trembling physique before he asked, "Sergeant (Last Name), are you alright?" 

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for asking, Connor." You answered brokenly as you took deep breathes to calm yourself down while giving a grin of reassurance to your android partner before you heard a frustrated shout from Hank, "We had it!"

"It's my fault; I should have been faster." Connor apologized with a sorrowful expression before you shook your head to civilly disagree with his statement, "No, Connor, it's okay. We'll get him next time...If you hadn't have been here, me and Hank would've been a fly's next meal." 

"You'd have caught it if it weren't for me..." Hank remarked in shock, confused as to why an android would save him and you when he could've easily followed his mission to apprehend the suspect. It seemed that the feeling was mutual since Connor was confused as to why he didn't follow his mission and you were confused as to why your male android partner saved you too after you gave him a direct order to catch the deviant. However, Hank quickly lightened up the mood as he reassured Connor, "That's alright. We know what it looks like. We'll find it..." Then, with a few shaky steps forward to return to the car, Hank suddenly turned to you and your partner as he called out, "Hey, Connor..." Turning his head to meet the lieutenant, Connor never broke eye contact as irises of blue and of brown stared into each other's souls while the male android paid attention to his superior before the older man shrugged off his thoughts with a simple 'Nothing.' 

Tilting his head like a curious puppy with widened chocolate orbs, Connor watched as Hank exited the rooftop while you gazed at your partner in a rushing mix of emotions. Confusion raced through your head because an android chose to save your life rather than complete a mission assigned to them. Admiration coursed through your veins because Connor was the only man you had ever met who was as intelligent and beautiful as he was always kind-hearted to you, in spite of his android status. Love at first sight circulated through your body too because this android fascinated you since the first meeting you had together. However, nothing but gratitude acted as a guide for your next few gestures and statements while you grabbed Connor's hand, giving it a squeeze to ground you both back into reality before the male android turned to you, dazed by your actions. With eyes of brown and of (Eye Color) staring into each other's souls just as Hank and Connor had done moments ago, you exchanged a warm smile with your partner as you remarked, "What Hank meant to say was thank you. You saved our lives but you didn't have to, so it means a lot. That's why I'll thank you on behalf of both of us. But I also want to ask why you did what you did back there." 

Now Connor really felt as though he had been re-wired and had amnesia since he couldn't even formulate a coherent sentence  as flashing banners of software instability appeared in his current field of vision. For once in his life, Connor was unsure as to why he acted the way he did since saving you and Hank wasn't just for the strategy of being able to complete his mission. Rather, his reasoning for saving you both was a little more personal, with the flashing images of recollecting fear coursing through his body as his thirium pump beat out of his chest the moment he saw you begin to fall. Connor made a vow once that he never broke since he first made that vow unbeknownst to you. He vowed to never let harm or pain befall you for as long as you were his partner and for as long as he lived. Remembering that you had saved him twice in the past before he could be harmed, Connor felt indebted to you and always wanted to repay you for saving his life. At the same time, Connor theorized other possible reasons for why he saved you from falling but only one primary reason flashed as a banner in his current field of vision as he answered your question with honesty and sincerity in his tone and facial expressions, "Well, you're not the only one who doesn't want to lose their partner on the job...I mean, you didn't want to watch me die on the job like your father did, so when I saw you and Hank fall, I knew that I couldn't watch you get hurt. I wasn't going to watch you die and if I had a choice between a deviant and you, you would always be my choice." 

"Connor..." You whispered under your breath with shiny irises and a heartfelt visage, truly touched by his explanation for why he saved you even though he was an android tasked with following orders and apprehending deviants. Never in a million years did you think that you would have feelings for an android, nor did you ever think an android would have feelings for you. And yet here stood you and Connor, gazing into each other's eyes with a shared look that insinuated the purest of loves and the strongest of friendships where both partners were equals. Just hearing Connor's voice and seeing his face, it made you realize that he cared more for you than you believed was statistically possible, which confused the both of you since androids weren't supposed to feel anything and Connor feared he was a deviant himself, even with self-running diagnostics to make sure that didn't happen. 

Nonetheless, you and Connor didn't hide the emotions racing through your heads very well as you continued to squeeze each other's hands in order to reassure and to comfort before you suddenly let go, giving the male android a small smile as you suggested with a joke, "Let's call it a day and head back to Hank. He's probably cussing like a sailor and wondering where we're at." 

Feeling a loss of relaxing warmth as he shuddered inside, Connor gave you a small nod to signify that he was ready to accompany you back to the car before his thoughts raced again, cinematic memories and dialogue banners of his inner monologues flashing in front of his eyes as they always revolved around you and your interactions with him. One thing was certain, Connor always felt like he was a better person whenever he was around you since you always made him feel comfortable in his own skin. The way you made him feel, it was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. Getting the chance to talk to you or even brush his fingers against your flesh, it meant the world to him since chances like these were not common for him. In his mind palace, Connor knew that he couldn't give you up when you were right there in front of him, willing to risk everything, your hard-earned reputation and even your safety,  in order to keep him safe. Not to mention that it was so obvious to him that you felt something for him, especially when he always scanned you and noticed an increase in your heart rate and endorphins whenever he even so much as stared at you. In that moment, Connor knew that all he ever wanted to do from now on was protect you and if that meant giving his own life for yours or even refusing to complete a mission, then so be it. CyberLife didn't matter to him anymore because their missions didn't mean anything to him anymore. In short, YOU were his new mission and if Connor knew anything about himself, it was that he never failed his mission.


	12. DBH Markus/RK200 X Fem! Reader - Opening Night

After four months of preparation as well as hard-earned sweat, blood, and tears, the moment had finally arrived. Your debut as actress and singer after years of not being onstage was finally going to be a reality on this night. The excitement brewing inside you was obvious with every practice you spent at the theatre after work at the hospital but also every piano lesson you took from Markus as he helped you with your songs for the musical by acting as live instrumental track and/or duet partner. Carl even assisted in your dialogue again by playing the other characters as you two sat in the living room after you returned home from work. Seeing you excited made Markus and Carl excited for you and with you because while they never saw the musical in its entirety since you broke up songs and lines to keep it a surprise, they could tell that you put a lot of effort into your hobbies. Just seeing you smile as you did what you were most passionate about, hearing you sing and hold your two favorite men in the palm of your hand with your acting skills, made Carl and Markus's hearts beat in elation while their eyes stared lovingly at you. All in all, you impressed your great uncle and boyfriend with your talents, constantly leaving them mesmerized and hungry for more of your art. 

Finally, the morning of your big theatre debut had come as you remained asleep under your warm covers with Markus, his large, dominant arm draped over your waist from the side as he buried his nose in your long, flowing tresses, savoring the subtle scent with each inhale and exhale. Once his internal alarm clock went off, Markus stirred awake as his scanning systems felt fully recharged before he sat up but still remained in the stomach sleeping position he was in the previous night, hugging the pillow under him. With a soft grin that insinuated nothing but innocent passion with sparkling peridot orbs to accompany his gaze, Markus laid in the bed silently as he took these few moments of peace to stare at your sleeping form. With shiny tresses of (Hair Color) fanned out around your body like silky curtains, your eyelashes long as they sat over your slumbering irises, Markus watched you shift under the covers with an unflattering snore through your nose before you hugged the edge of your pillow, finally relaxing once you felt comfortable again. Because of how cute you were while asleep, Markus felt that he couldn't help himself as he reached out his hand to you, moving some stubborn strands out of your face so he could gaze upon its beauty without interference before he noticed you stir in your sleep with a smile on your face and a sigh that indicated pleasure, especially when Markus scanned your vitals and found that your endorphins had increased when feather-light pressure emitting from his fingers even so much as brushed up against your sensitive skin. With a mischievous grin, Markus reached his hand out again, bringing it down into a soft (Hair Texture) mass as he brushed his fingers through your hair, fanning the strands out over your back with every untangling of the minute knots while you continued to lay on your stomach just as you had done the previous night. Due to Markus's gentle touch and warm temperature, you were soon noticed by your boyfriend to be sighing happily and hugging your pillow tighter in your still-slumbering state of mind, which caused him to chuckle at your cute antics. After a few moments of watching you sleep and react involuntarily to his gestures, Markus pecked the entirety of your face with butterfly kisses, his eyelashes fluttering up and down rapidly to brush against your skin with each press of his soft lips against every surface he could reach without waking you up. After kissing you repeatedly for several minutes, Markus exited the bed while brushing off his pants and shirt, heading downstairs to start cleaning up the house and preparing breakfast for everyone while he allowed you and Carl to sleep in a few extra hours. Giving one last tender smile as he stood in the doorway, holding the wood of the arch in his gentle fingers, Markus decided to get on with his day so you could properly rest before your big show later on that night. 

Once he was finished with all his daily chores downstairs, Markus fixed up a tray of bacon and eggs with some coffee and fruit before he made the long ascent up the staircase. Coming to your bedroom first, Markus found you still asleep, curled up into a ball under your warm, thick covers as you slept on your stomach and hugged your pillow as if the comfortable headrest was Markus. Placing the silver tray down on your bedside table, Markus opened up the curtains to let the golden sunbeams shine through as you slightly stirred from the change in lighting and added warmth before you flipped over onto your back, your dominant hand against your head so that it tangled into your hair. With a soft chuckle at your reaction, Markus knelt beside you on the mattress as he brushed his fingers through your hair and across your shoulders again before he kissed your forehead, which woke you up fully as your eyes fluttered open. With dazed eyes and a soft chuckle escaping your lips, you felt yourself gliding on air as those peridot eyes that you adored so much gazed lovingly upon you before you exchanged a tender kiss with your android boyfriend. After locking lips for a few moments, you stared up at Markus before he greeted, "Good morning, buttercup."

"Good morning, love." You greeted back with a breathy yawn as if you were sighing and longing over seeing a crush from afar before Markus announced, "I made you some breakfast if you'd like to have some in bed since it would do you some good to rest before your show." 

"You're so sweet, Markus. Thank you." 

"You're welcome, (Name)." Markus replied as he kissed your forehead again, causing you to shudder in pleasure with closing eyes and an innocent giggle escaping your frame while your endorphin levels rose and your heart beat faster with elation. At the same time, you pulled yourself to a sitting position against the backboard of the bed so that the pillow cushioned your back before you reached up to kiss Markus's temple, causing his LED to glow yellow, then blue again with the sensation of your petal-smooth lips against his synthetic, tanned skin. Shuddering lightly at your gentle gesture, Markus closed his eyes to savor the feeling as he took deep breathes through his nose before he pulled away from you to let you eat your breakfast. However, you soon stopped him from leaving the room as you asked,  "Would you like me to accompany you to the dining table or help you with Uncle Carl?" 

"Oh, no. You stay here to eat and rest. You'll need your strength for the show tonight." 

"Okay, well, if you need me, please don't hesitate to come get me." You suggested as you smiled at your boyfriend before he nodded back with his own grin, "Sure, okay, (Name)." Then, exchanging one last kiss, Markus left you alone to eat your breakfast in peace while he took his time in taking care of your great uncle. 

In the ticking hours leading up to your performance, you spent your time doing as Markus asked you to. While you spent the majority of your time resting and drinking plenty of water, you went over your lines and music alone in your bedroom one last time to calm your nerves before you left early for the theatre. The reason for your early departure after bidding your boyfriend and great uncle goodbye with a tender kiss to their cheeks was because the director and producer of the musical had cooked homemade food and they wanted to have a meal with the cast and crew hours before the show, as per tradition when this particular director and producer collaborated on productions together. Therefore, while you were out of the house, Markus helped Carl get ready for the night after the older man was finished with a painting in his art studio before they took a taxi to a local shop that was five blocks from the theatre so they could give you some flowers after your performance. After purchasing the flowers, Carl and Markus rode the taxi to the theatre before they both exited the vehicle and walked to the entrance of the large building. 

Once inside, Markus registered his tickets with the front door android as he and Carl were led inside to their seats before your great uncle remarked with a chuckle, "Well, I'll be. The theatre is a full house tonight. I'm surprised that this many people would still care about the arts." 

"They might have come to see certain cast members perform or see this particular production." Markus explained before Carl nodded, "You're probably right, Markus. Say, do you think we might be able to visit (Name) just before she gets on stage?"

"We have thirty minutes before they start. I don't see why not." Markus shrugged as he stood up so he could assist Carl in venturing backstage, where many crew members were busy as bees behind the red velvet curtain while they made last minute checks on the lighting and sound. Grabbing the back of the wheelchair, Markus wheeled Carl towards the wing of the theatre where the cast would be getting into costume before the two men encountered an android who was acting as bodyguard to the door to the lady's dressing room, "May I help you?" 

"Yes, my employer would like to see his great niece before the show if that's alright." Markus announced as the attendant's LED flashed from blue to yellow then back to blue before he nodded, "Certainly. Who is the cast member you wish to see?"

"(Name) Manfred." Carl answered for himself as the attendant's LED flashed again to contemplate on the paraplegic's suggestion before he nodded with a wave of his hand to beckon Carl and Markus to follow him, "Right this way, please." Grabbing Carl's chair again, Markus wheeled the human male down the hallway leading to the dressing rooms as many of the cast and crew members stared at Markus, some wondering what he was doing there, others figuring out that he was a caretaker android to Carl, and a few thinking that he was very attractive for an android. However, Markus and Carl ignored the stares as they followed the android attendant down the hall before they came to the lady's dressing room, where you were making last minute touches to your makeup and readjusting your microphone, which cradled itself around your ear. Jumping up a little once you heard a few taps against the wooden door, you quickly turned around as you called out, "Who is it?" 

"You have visitors, Miss Manfred. There are also thirty minutes until show time." The android attendant announced from the other side of the door before you turned back around to the mirror with a smile while you called over your shoulder, "Thank you thirty. As for my visitors, they can come in." With that, the attendant android left the backstage area to guard the door to the dressing rooms again while Markus and Carl entered. Upon seeing such familiar faces smile at you, you turned around with your own smile directed at them before you got up from the makeup chair while your great uncle chuckled at the sight of you, "My precious great niece, you look absolutely gorgeous."

"Thank you, Uncle Carl." You grinned back as you hugged the man while he remained sitting in his wheelchair without messing up your appearance before he asked, "So, are you ready?"

"Y-Y-Yeah..." You stuttered as you visibly shook in his arms with wide eyes and a sheepish grin before Markus became concerned, "What's wrong, (Name)?"

"I'm just excited for tonight, but I'm also a little nervous. I literally feel like butterflies are fluttering in my stomach." You admitted with a bashful stare directed at the floor before Markus lifted your head up with his finger under your chin, making you gaze at him as he started to give you a moving speech in order to calm your nerves, "Buttercup, you've worked so hard and so long, so you must be proud of yourself. That has to count for something...Carl and I have seen what you can do, and we're both pretty positive that you're going to do amazing out there. You've done your grandfather proud and now, it's time to show Detroit by leaving it all out there on that stage."

"Thanks, Markus. You always know what to say." You replied as you took a deep breath with a grin, finally feeling better than you had before he and Carl came to visit you, while Markus nodded back, "I try my best. Break a leg." Then leaning forward while holding your hands in his, Markus deskinned his palms so they were cold as metal and white as snow before he pressed his soft lips against yours.   
After the kiss, Markus gave you a final hug with his strong arms enveloping your entire body in warmth from his temperature sensors as he rested his head on your shoulder, causing you to reach up your hands so that you cradled his head against you by wrapping your arms around his neck. With a soft smile, Carl felt his eyes growing teary at the tender scene before him since he could see the true love shared between you, his great niece, and his surrogate son Markus before you and your android boyfriend pulled away from each other with soft smiles exchanged between you both. Hearing another knock at the door, you heard the director call out to you as they announced with a knock at the locked door, "(Name), we're on in ten!" 

"Okay, thank you ten!" You called back as Markus and Carl looked to you before your great uncle grinned, "Knock 'em dead." 

"I will." You nodded as Carl rolled himself to the door to the dressing room with his hands gliding across the wheels before Markus looked to you with a suggestion just in case you needed it, "If you ever feel nervous during the show, just look at me and Carl and think of your grandfather sitting there with us. That may ground you again." 

"I most definitely will. Thanks, Markus." You nodded as you kissed the android's temple while his LED shined blue before he gave a sincere smile with sparkling peridot orbs and white teeth, "We'll be waiting in the front row for you. You can do it." With one last squeeze of your hand, Markus assisted your great uncle with his wheelchair as he pushed Carl out of the dressing room and into the theatre so they could return to their seats while you took one last look at yourself in the mirror. Smiling at the reflection on the other side, you departed from the dressing room to join the director, producer, cast, and crew in the wings of the backstage area as everyone grasped hands in prayer to bless the production while Carl and Markus relaxed into their front-row seats as chatter from other theatre-goers echoed around the room. 

After ten minutes had elapsed, the lights of the theatre went down as a single spotlight appeared on the red curtain before the director came out from behind the curtain to give a speech about the production and how much work was put in by all cast and crew. The director even thanked several people for advertising and donating money to fund the production before requesting that all electronic devices and conversations be silenced for the duration of the show until the end of the show. With that, the director disappeared behind the curtain after thanking everyone for attending with a roar of claps coming from the audience before the room went completely pitch black. At once, Markus looked around the room with his LED shining yellow in deep thought until he heard the ropes controlling the curtain creak against the wooden floor of the stage while the red velvet swayed as if it were moved by a summer breeze. Then, with a flash, the lights of the stage clicked on with shades of yellow, blue, and red as Markus noticed several figures in the shadows before you stepped forward into the blue spotlight. After a few moments, the comforting sound of a piano created an ambiance of true showmanship, perfectly complimenting you as your lips opened for the first time to sing the first song. The entire time you sang, you looked around in the audience, but you mainly centered your focus on Markus, who smiled up at you with a closed grin and shiny peridot orbs at how beautiful you looked and sounded. Suddenly joined by dancing and singing members of your cast, Markus found himself never taking his eyes off of you as you never broke eye contact with him and Carl in your song while you walked across the stage from one side to the other. As the musical dragged on, Markus found himself absolutely mesmerized by you, just as much as the audience was. Talented in song and face, you kept the audience so quiet that a pin could drop and everyone would hear it. But more importantly, the audience never blinked whenever you were onstage because you were absolutely captivating up there, engaging and immersing them into the wonderful story you were telling as you made them laugh with your hand over your mouth as you performed an aside. Carl and Markus even found themselves chuckling under their breath at you since your lines were very witty and comedic. However, a sad tone was evident onstage in one scene between you and another cast member as several woman in the audience started wiping their eyes with their sleeves to rid them of tears. Even the way you sounded onstage during your dialogue and your songs for this particular part, it made Markus's thirium pump hurt as he really believed you were actually crying onstage. Seeing flashes of the first time he saw you cry in his memory while he watched you perform the scene with such passion and clarity, Markus found himself going through a cathartic cleanse as he felt a wetness against his cheeks. As you looked out into the audience at Markus and Carl, something heartfelt changed in you as your heart panged in sympathy for your boyfriend. You wouldn't believe it unless you saw it, and once you did, it changed how you felt about Markus forever. Androids weren't supposed to feel emotions, but you and Markus proved that fact wrong by falling in love a while back. And now, as you looked at Markus, you felt yourself staring into his very soul while your eyes literally did shed genuine tears onstage upon gazing at him in the audience. The reason you cried was because Markus, the caretaker android who looked after you and your Uncle Carl, was crying. Literally, tears were streaming down both of his cheeks in somber lines as his mouth dropped open and his peridot irises widened. With mixed feelings at watching your boyfriend as you watched him cry during your performance, you felt happiness at him showing real emotions for the first time but empathy since you hated to see someone suffer without you trying to comfort them. However, the show had to go on, so you would have to wait to comfort Markus after the show even when it hurt your heart to know Markus was crying. After receiving thunderous applause and whistles from the song you finished, Markus looked over to Carl as the older man bit his lip with teary eyes while only two tears escaped his glassy eyes and his elbow rested against the armrest of the wheelchair so that his fist could rest against his lips. With a soft smile directed at Markus, Carl leaned his lips close to his ears as he remarked, "She's good, so good that she made me teary. She's definitely a special person." 

"She really is." Markus nodded in agreement as he whispered back into Carl's ear before he took a large gulp. Bringing his hand up to wipe away his tears with his sleeve, Markus took deep breathes to compose himself as his thirium pump beat faster with each memory of watching your performance. In his mind, Markus always believed that you were a beautiful person, inside and out, anyways from the first moment he met you. But now, just seeing how much you were affected by that musical scene and how it affected your audience in the best way possible, it only made Markus's admiration for you grow with each song and scene that played out onstage. 

After a couple hours of watching you sing and act gracefully like a silver screen starlet, the curtain closed after you and the rest of the cast finished your last song, which caused the audience to roar with applause and whistles as the lights dimmed before a piano played a final song. With each crew and cast member that took a bow at the edge of the stage, the audience's applause increased in volume until they finally stood up the moment your footfalls echoed on the wooden floor. Even Markus found himself standing up for you as he clapped with a smile on his face before he screamed out a loud "Yeah" in the hands that he cupped around his mouth. Staring into the audience at Markus and Carl, you found yourself chuckling at your secret boyfriend as you placed both of your hands over your heart, touched by the fact that Carl and Markus loved your performance before the cast and crew left the stage to mingle with the audience. Walking down the side stairs to greet your great uncle, you couldn't help but get teary-eyed with joy coursing through your veins as you and Carl hugged before he chuckled, "(Name), you did amazing tonight. You were even making me teary with that one scene."

"Thank you, Uncle Carl. I'm glad you and Markus enjoyed it." You smiled back at the two important men in your life before Markus handed you the bouquet of flowers while he announced with a sheepish grin, "I researched that you give flowers to a stage performer after the show ends. So Carl and I stopped by the florist's shop before arriving." 

"They're beautiful. Thanks, love." You whispered to your boyfriend as you grinned at him warmly before you recounted to him, "Markus, I want to personally thank you because you were right...I felt so much better and sure of myself whenever I was staring at you and Carl during the performance. But more importantly than that, I could almost feel my grandfather sitting there in the audience with you, just cheering me on whenever I started to get nervous...'You can do it, my shining star. If anyone can, it's you'...That's all I kept hearing whenever I stared into your eyes, and that kept me calm." 

"Your grandfather would be proud of you right now, just as I am." Markus complimented to you as he grinned down at you before you remarked, "I'll get changed, and then we can head home." 

"We'll wait up for you." Markus nodded as you and him exchanged one last smile before you exited to the dressing rooms to take off your makeup and change out of your costumes so you were back in regular clothes. After you were finished, you met up with Markus and Carl in the lobby of the theater as you all entered a taxi so you could return home. Once inside the house, you all went to the living room so Markus could pour a cup of Scotch for you and Carl as the older man raised his glass to toast the success of your musical and bless the next few times you had to perform the play until the production season was over. Clinking glasses together with a soft smile, you and Carl each took a sip of Scotch as you coughed into your hand since you weren't used to the beverage and its warm texture going down your throat. This only caused Carl to laugh as you finished the beverage with one more gulp before your great uncle finished his drink with the announcement that he was going to bed, prompting you to kiss his cheek goodnight while Markus took him upstairs. 

Yawning into your hand as you stared around the living room, you made your ascent on the staircase as you entered your bedroom so you could brush your teeth and wash your face in preparation for bed since you had work at the hospital the next day. Once you were in your bed, Markus snuck his way into your room as he closed the door behind him before you two grinned at each other, soft smiles appearing on your face and his as your android boyfriend joined you in the bed. But this night, everything felt so different as you and Markus locked lips, holding each other in your arms as both of your hands roamed where they wished. And the whole while, you both asked if the other was okay with these gestures as sincere nods and soft smiles were exchanged between the both of you. Warm and cold, soft and firm, android and human...Everything felt blissful and peaceful as time stood completely still. Each time Markus locked lips with you and your flesh or when he brushed his fingers against you, you shuddered in pleasure with eyes fluttering closed and shaky exhales. But Markus also shuddered in your presence whenever you whispered sweet nothings to him as you kissed his lips or his face. In that room, on this opening night of your musical once the final bows ceased, with the moonlight from your window as your spotlight and the stars as your audience, you and Markus were the costars of the most beautiful story. Grasping both of each other's hands as you locked lips, you and Markus gave everything to each other in an act of complete trust that could not be taken lightly. And when all was said and done, you both laid in each other's arms, savoring the tender moments shared between you both as eyes of peridot and eyes of (Eye Color) stared at each other. But as you both drifted off, you two exchanged one final kiss as you both smiled, whispering your last few "I love you's" while Markus's dominant hand combed through your hair and your hand stroked across his freckled cheeks.


	13. DBH Connor/RK800 X Fem! Reader - Inner Demons of the DPD Sergeant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Slight trigger warning for the nightmare scene in this scene as well as anxiety and depression in the reader. Otherwise, please enjoy.

It was 3:22 PM on November 6, 2038. Exactly twenty minutes had passed since Connor had saved you and Hank's lives. After Hank had dropped you and him off back at your house ever since you invited him to spend the night so he wouldn't have to go all the way back to the station. At first, Connor wanted to refuse your generous offer but just seeing your kind smile and the way you reached out for his synthetic hand with your warm one, the android found himself unable to turn you down as he followed you out of the older detective's beat-up car and into your house. 

(Software Instability ^^^^^^^^^^)

Gazing around at the humble abode, Connor took in every detail he analyzed as he summarized personal characteristics about you. While you were taking off your leather jacket and winter boots at the door, you smiled at Connor as he stared at you intently before you announced, "Please make yourself at home, Connor." Giving you a small nod, Connor exchanged a closed-mouth grin with you before he responded, "Okay, thank you, (Name)."

"Anytime, Connor." You grinned back before you disappeared into your bedroom to grab some clean clothes and head off to the shower. Once he heard the water cut on, Connor decided to make himself comfortable by exploring your home so he could better understand you. Noticing a small picture frame on a table near your mattress, Connor picked it up to examine it as he noticed you as a teenager of no older than sixteen in the picture with a younger version of Hank, your father, and a younger version of a woman who had similar eyes to yours. Scanning each face, Connor recognized Lieutenant Hank Anderson and your father (Father's Name) (Last Name) immediately but also found that the woman beside you was your mother, (Mother's Name) (Last Name). Garbed in police uniforms with the trademark hat and badge, Hank and your father were on either side of you and your mother with smiles on their faces, with both you and your mother being garbed in solid-colored cocktail dresses with smiles on your faces too. Putting the photograph down with widened brown eyes and a melancholy expression on his face, Connor looked in the direction of the bathroom where you were showering in admiration over your very being before he exited your bedroom to explore the rest of your house. 

Walking around the living room first, Connor scanned the area so he could get a better understanding of the layout of the house as he fiddled his quarter in his hands. Mounted to the center of the back wall of the living room was a television screen, with several comfy couches, recliners, and two tables with lamps sitting on them around the room to create one cohesive unit. On either side of the television screen were two wooden shelves filled with physical books, which upon further scanning, Connor remembered the poster you had on your work desk back at the station, which detailed a half-off deal at a local store that still sold physical books. Upon further investigation, Connor noticed that your college diplomas were framed and hanging on the wall alongside pictures of you with the abnormal behavior research group you were a part of and a smaller version of the poster for the research that gave you a name for yourself among your college peers. Smiling at your accomplishments and the fact that you had shown Detroit your skills and mind, Connor gazed at the framed images just a little while longer before he moved to another room. 

Then moving to the kitchen to scan that area, Connor noticed simple appliances that would make up a typical kitchen: Steel refrigerator, electric stove top, wall oven, cabinets filled with dishes and junk food, and a microwave mounted under the cabinet closest to the refrigerator. The presence of fruit and junk food on the counters as well as a couple dirty utensils and plates in the dishwasher with no alcohol in sight was also evident. Even the dining table was pretty decent-looking and not full of junk aside from a minor scratch on one of the legs due to natural wear and tear and a closed laptop charging its batteries with help from a long cord attached to an outlet in the wall. Overall, it looked like the house had been lived in, not like some fancy showroom where it looked too perfect because your home wasn't too messy or too spotless. After exploring the home, Connor determined that you had a normal life and then when it was taken away from you, rather than waste away to nothing after losing your father in the line of police duty, you worked very hard to live out your dream to be a detective so you could make your father and godfather proud. Beautiful with a sharp tongue and an even sharper mind to match a altruistic heart that was kind and fair to humans and androids alike, Connor's opinion of you was very favorable since you both viewed each other as close friends. 

However, Connor was pulled away from his thoughts because of the sounds of footfalls echoing on the hardwood floor of the house, originating from you as you walked to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and a small snack from your kitchen cabinet before you brushed your recently blow-dried tresses of (Hair Color) back so it was out of your face before you announced with a small smile, "Well, I think I'm gonna type up a police report for the station's records and then head off to bed."  

"No need. I can get the report typed and sent to your work email. You need your rest." Connor replied with a small grin followed by a wink from one chocolate orb before you widened your (Eye Color) eyes at your partner before you shrugged with a gasp, "Oh...Well, thanks. That definitely saves me a lot of work. I don't know how to thank you enough."

"There's no need for a formal thanks. Just seeing you happy is good enough for me."  

"Okay, well...Goodnight, Connor. See you in the morning." You replied with a soft smile as you sauntered over to him to grab and squeeze his hand in reassurance and gratitude for his kind actions while his warm brown irises blinked in surprise at your actions. As your flesh touched his, Connor couldn't help but feel something for you. Around you, he felt as if he was really alive and warm to the touch like a human. Around you, he felt so free to express himself and his emotions but also accept your kindness without serious, negative consequences. So as he grabbed your hand back to squeeze it with the same amount of strength that you did to him before he nodded with a soft smile, "Goodnight, (Name)." 

"If you need anything or if an emergency call comes in, you just get me up and let me know. Please don't hesitate to ask. And you're free to watch tv or read a book so you can be more comfortable while I'm asleep, or whatever you feel like doing." 

"Okay, (Name). Thank you. You're a kind individual and one of the most altruistic humans I've ever met." 

"You're welcome. And it's nothing; it's just the right thing to do morally." You shrugged with a soft smile followed by a chuckle before Connor shook his head while his LED spun around in blue light, then yellow, then back to blue before he civilly disagreed with your statement, "It means something to me, so I just want you to know how much I appreciate it." 

"You're welcome, Connor." You grinned again with a closed mouth as you started to tip-toe down the hall to your room before you turned around in the doorway and called out to your android partner, "Oh, and Connor?" 

"Yes, (Name)?"

"Thank you for saving me and Hank today. That meant something to both of us, especially me. I don't know how to thank you but I just wanted you to know that I really did appreciate you saving us." You explained as you leaned against the doorway to your bedroom while Connor's LED flashed to yellow as he processed what you said and even what he was feeling in regards to you before his LED went back to blue with his next statement, "You're welcome, (Name). You invited me to your home so I wouldn't have to go back to the station and you've been nothing but kind to me since we first met. That shows me how much it means to you and that's enough for me." Exchanging small smiles with each other, you and Connor continued to stare warmly at each other before you both waved at each other from afar while you shut your bedroom so it was still left open a crack. At the same time, Connor just continued to stare in your general direction, almost lovingly, as he thought of your acts of kindness and how they affected him. The more he thought, the more he started to have feelings for you that he never thought he could have as a human-looking android until he met you. This only made him feel more free and human as he continued to replay memories of you and continued to ponder about his conclusions of you from his observations while you slept peacefully in your room after eating your snack with your water. 

(Software Instability ^ )

A couple hours passed since you went to bed so you wouldn't be too exhausted at work, and Connor was still exploring your home and checking on you every so often. Since he did care about you a lot, he just wanted to make sure that no intruders broke into the house and he also wanted to make sure that you were sleeping alright. However, nothing would prepare him for what he was about to witness in regards to you. 

It was around 6:50 PM and you had probably slept a total of three hours and five minutes since 3:45 PM. It didn't seem like a lot of time spent asleep, but as a detective, you were used to a work and sleep schedule that changed all the time in order to keep you on your toes. You were even lucky to get three hours to yourself given your busy schedule, so a restful sleep like that was kind of a good thing since it wasn't easy to come by. However, you would've slept longer if your anxious thoughts and vivid memories didn't race through your head to create terrible nightmares that almost seemed real. And you knew it was coming too, as the nightmares became vivid and caused you to convulse in your sleep, hyperventilating heavily with rapid-moving eyes that remained shut as you clutched the blankets and pillows more tightly before you finally snapped awake, gripping your heart through your pullover hoodie as you sat up in bed. After a few minutes of trying to collect yourself with deep breathing techniques you learned on the Internet while you still clutched your chest, you found that you needed Hank's help. Therefore, it was no wonder that you reached for your cellphone and slammed your fingers down on the touch screen in quick drumming motions to get the call to go through as you waited patiently for the older man you viewed as a second father figure to pick up. These kind of nightmares you experienced moments ago, they occurred more often right after your father died, but Hank was always there to comfort you and talk you down from the ledge so your anxiety wouldn't skyrocket. Therefore, over time, they became less frequent even though they never really disappeared completely. But that was then when Hank always answered his phone when you called. One, two, three, four times...You called Hank's phone and all four of those times, he never picked up. You knew Hank had personal issues that caused him to be more withdrawn and severely depressed than he had ever been in all the time you knew him growing up as a kid, and you figured he might be asleep himself. So you completely understood why he wouldn't pick up his phone. But that still didn't help your current predicament as your mind raced due to anxiety over the moving images that were present in this evening's nightmare. However, you didn't realize that a certain android detective had heard you gasping in your sleep and heard you trying to call Hank only to hear a familiar answering machine statement from him followed by a beep to allow you to leave a message, which you did only once while you hung up the other three times after frantically grabbing your hair with tears brimming in your bottom eyelids while you paced back and forth in your bedroom and whispered 'Come on, Hank. Please, please, please pick up' each time you got your father figure's answering machine rather than his actual voice. After all, it was useless to keep being a nuisance to Hank, even if you were scared to death and even if he was always the one to calm you down when you were scared back then. But you were an adult, not a teenager, so you needed to handle it yourself. 

However, that didn't stop you from racing  down the hallway to find Connor as you called out to the android detective with a broken voice and a panicked tone before you heard a familiar tone, "Sergeant (Last Name), are you alright?" Between the time it took to hear Connor call out your name and the time it took for you to turn around, you felt a familiar presence as you bumped into Connor's chest face-first before the male android grabbed your shoulders to ground you. When Connor found you in that hallway, it was a heaven-sent blessing that he did since fear coursed through your veins, as evidenced by the hurt gaze you gave to him and the fear he heard in your tone while you stood in front of each other. In short, when Connor found you, he could see that you were just trying to do everything to keep it together even though your racing heart, wide eyes, and trembling physique were physiological indicators that you weren't psychologically and emotionally okay. Gazing upon you in genuine concern as you fiddled with the long cords of your charcoal gray-blue DPD hoodie, Connor always looked in your eyes and paid careful attention to your bodily reactions to make sure that everything he did was alright with you, even when he himself was unsure on how to properly handle this scenario. This wasn't like comforting an android suspect like Carlos's HK400 android. He was about to be comforting you, a human he had grown to absolutely adore and like more than what would be considered a platonic friendship between a man and woman. While both humans and androids were unpredictable and Connor was an RK800 that could adapt to the unexpected 1-5% of all possible scenarios on a statistical level, he definitely cared too much about you to watch you hurt in solitude. He couldn't just sit around and do nothing like some unfeeling, stoic android when in reality, he did harbor secret, strong feelings for you and he really did care about you, his new life mission. 

Therefore, Connor decided to help you out as he explained that he noticed your bodily reactions and recognized them to be a fight-or-flight response before he asked again if you were alright and if there was anything he could do to help you as his partner and friend. After a few minutes, you took a deep breath through your nose as you pulled your hair into a ponytail and brushed off some fuzzy lint balls off your black cotton sweatpants, the scent of your shampoo still lingering in the air from the shower you took hours ago once you and Connor returned home. In response to Connor's questions of your current state, you only gave a small nod with a closed mouth and a small 'Mmm-hmm' sound escaping your body before you felt your android partner still patting your shoulders comfortingly while you both still stood in front of each other. 

All of a sudden, all the sadness and fear that had been bottled up inside you when you internalized your problems in the past, all those times you said 'you were fine' whenever you didn't want others to worry about you, they just bubbled up to the surface in a gargantuan wave of emotions. So with trembling shoulders and a pained look directed at Connor, you snapped your eyes shut as you choked back a sob by biting your bottom lip, burying your face in the oversized sleeves that covered the entirety of both of your hands so that the cloth soaked up every tear that streamed down your face. Without a second thought, Connor's LED flashed red immediately at your current state and his chocolate eyes widened upon hearing you weep while the recollection of your facial expression seconds ago burned itself into his mind palace. Connor could NOT see you hurt. No, he would NOT see you hurt. He had made a promise. Whether it was physical or mental wounds, it didn't matter. You were Connor's new mission and he promised to never see you get hurt. It didn't matter what Amanda or Gavin or even RA9 thought. Connor really did care about you and his thirium pump literally ached whenever he saw you hurt. His mind and his heart couldn't bear the thought of you suffering in silence and him not doing anything. He had to do something, anything, because you had always saved him and had done so twice. Now, it was his turn to save you a second time to repay you for your kindness but to also reassure you that he was here for you as both good friend and android detective partner. 

Therefore, as soon as his arms enveloped you into the most tender embrace, it really did catch you off-guard as you stared up at him with wide eyes since you never expected an android to give you a hug, much less one who always followed missions and protocol to a tee like the RK800 before you. However, after a few moments of realizing that he wasn't going to let go of you anytime soon until you had completely calmed down, you relaxed into the hug and allowed yourself to express what you really felt around him. And rather than tell you what you wanted to hear or invalidate your feelings as a human, Connor was pretty firm in his encouragement for you to get everything out so you could feel better. In fact, it was quite comforting to hear that deep voice speak with such a collectedness and sincerity as Connor stroked one hand through your hair and one hand across your shoulders and upper back, still holding you against him even after your legs gave out from sadness and anxiety induced by fear and caused you to collapse onto the floor, "Let it out, it's okay to cry and be upset...I'm here for you, (Name). I want to help if you're willing to accept it, whether that means telling me about what's bothering you or not...We'll do whatever is comfortable for you. No matter what, I'll help you get through it." With each small sob into your clothed arms and the shoulders of Connor's jacket while your arms wrapped around the brunette male's neck, the android detective only caressed you closer to him as his hug could be considered bone-shattering. With a continued stroking of your hair every few seconds or so while he held you in his arms, you could tell that Connor was worried sick about you as he asked, "(Name), what's wrong?" 

"The n-nightmare I had...It was horrible." You answered brokenly in Connor's embrace with your speech coming across as almost incoherent unless trained ears deciphered it while anxiety and fear plagued every tremble of your body. At once, Connor tightened his hold on you with both arms around your frame upon hearing the hurt in your voice and seeing the physiological reactions your body could visibly show him on his internal scanners before he asked you, "Do you want to talk about it? It might help you overcome it, but if you don't, then I'll be here for you either way. Whatever is more comfortable for you works for me too." 

Giving a small nod to Connor, you decided that telling your partner wouldn't hurt since he already knew about your late father anyways and you trusted the male android from day one of you two working together. So you definitely trusted Connor with the secrets of your inner demons as you recounted parts of your life story that no one aside from Hank knew since he was directly involved, "It was back when I was seventeen...Hank and my dad had gotten the call about the red ice dealer and were tasked with apprehending him...They both promised to celebrate the arrest of the criminal afterwards and they both promised to come home...But Hank called us and asked us to come to the hospital because my father had been stabbed while saving Hank, so my mother and I... We got a chance to say goodbye but the three of us watched my father flatline before our eyes as he gripped my hand and told us he loved us..." Taking a pause to wipe your eyes as your voice broke with every shaky inhale you took to calm down, Connor waited for you to feel comfortable speaking again as he kept his mouth shut while you continued again, "My mother blamed Hank for my father's death and said that if my dad didn't have to save his partner, he wouldn't have died...I never blamed Hank for the accident and he knew I never blamed him...But my mother refused to let me still contact Hank or be a detective, told me that as long as I lived under her roof, I needed to pick another occupation and quit contacting my father's partner or else I would be disowned, removed from her will, and kicked out of the house..."

"So I'm guessing you left?" Connor asked as you nodded against his shoulder with tears still streaming down your face, "Yeah...I immediately went to Hank and he let me live with him so I could finish college and become a detective at DPD...My mother didn't really like that and she kept true on her promise, but not without saying all those insults that I mentioned she said to me in regards to following my dream to be a detective...But I told her that Dad would've wanted me to be happy and living out my dreams and that if she didn't support me, then I didn't need her because I had Hank." After taking a second pause to collect yourself, Connor decided to speak so he could let his opinion be known since he knew you always valued it and because he had certain reservations in regards to the relationship with you and your mother, "I understand why your mother was angry and upset, but that still gave her no right to blame Lieutenant Anderson or take your dreams away from you just because of what happened to your father. It wasn't the lieutenant's fault since I believe your father would've saved his partner regardless of who it was." Giving another nod to Connor to acknowledge his opinion, you continued to tell him the rest of your story as you brought a ray of hope to it, "But recently, my mother called Hank and I to apologize, so we all reconnected again and my mother began to support me, even if she still worries about me because of my dangerous occupation."

"As is her right to be worried. She is and always will be your mother." Connor grinned as he continued to stroke your hair again before he asked with widened chocolate irises that indicated nothing short of recognition and surprise, "So when you saw that AX400 and the little girl hugging on the side of the road, you said that they reminded you of you and your mother."

"Yes, they reminded me of what I wished I had as a kid growing up with my mom, even though I was always a daddy's girl. But I can have that now as an adult ever since we reconnected." You replied with a soft grin that ended just as soon as it started before you began to go more in depth in your description of the reason as to why you were scared moments ago, "But seeing my memories again wasn't the only reason I woke up to look for you and call Hank..." At once, Connor stared down at you while you both sat on the wooden floor of your hallway, still engaged in a tight embrace, before you further elaborated on the contents of the bad dreams that caused you to awake from deep slumber full of anxiety-driven fear, "In that nightmare...I...I was in this white room with these white walls and white ceilings...And I saw you and Hank...I saw...I heard several gunshots and I saw you and Hank lying in a pool of red and blue blood...And I couldn't move to save you...I woke up as soon as I saw you and Hank, but especially you..." Then, inhaling with a shaky breath, you felt fear course through your veins again as you explained, "It's just...I...It felt so real that...I-I...I had to look for you to make sure you were alright but I also tried to call Hank even though he wouldn't pick up his phone...I was just so scared that I had lost both of you like I did my dad."

Just admitting that to Connor brought you to tears again as you gasped out his name with widened eyes, cradling his youthful face in your open palm to make sure he was actually there, before the male android gave you a look of worry-driven concern due to your stress levels hitting 90%. At once, Connor decided that he needed to act quickly to force your heart rate and stress levels go back down as he grabbed both of your hands, even when he knew that nothing he could say would make you forget such graphic images since he knew you cared about him so much. 

Standing catatonic with your hands still in your android partner's hands, Connor eventually pulled you into another hug, wrapping his arms around you so they connected around your upper back as he rested his head on your shoulder and you slowly wrapped your arms around his neck, resting your own head on his opposite shoulder. After a few moments of silence while you both savored the tender hug, Connor began brushing through your soft tresses since he personally loved the sensation of your hair in his fingers but he also knew how much it calmed you down, as evidenced by your outward reactions and your decreasing stress levels that plummeted every thirty seconds with each stroke. Connor paused a moment before he began to speak; he had to be very careful about what he said next since it could either stress you out more or keep you calm. Connor knew he wasn't going to lie to you since he had never experienced such graphic nightmares like you had, so he couldn't say that he had been through the same thing. However, he did know what fear felt like, especially when you almost fell off that roof to your death. Therefore, Connor decided to make you a vow, this time, verbal and direct to you so you understood how he felt about you, "(Name), I'm here and so is Hank, no matter the circumstances. But I can see why that nightmare would scare you and cause you to react like this...Believe me, I didn't know I could feel fear until I saw you almost go over that railing with Hank. I knew I couldn't watch you die so I was willing to sacrifice a deviant and my mission rather than lose you." 

"I couldn't bear it if I lost you guys too; I don't know what I'd do without you and Hank, but especially you." You replied with tears still streaming down your face as you buried your head in your dominant arm and Connor's shoulder while the android still stroked your hair, "As long as I'm your partner, I won't let you get hurt and I'm not going anywhere. I can never guarantee that I won't get wounded on cases, but I will certainly try my best not to die." Once your stress levels rose back up to 30%, it eventually went down to 0% as you took Connor's promise to heart before you nodded against his shoulder. With a soft smile at the success of getting you to calm down, Connor continued to stroke your hair as he squeezed you more tightly in his arms before you grinned at the android with tears of joy escaping your eyes, "Connor, thank you for always being here for me, on and off the job. You're honestly the best partner I've ever had and I don't care if you're an android because you act human to me."

"You're welcome, (Name)." Connor responded as he gave you one last bodily squeeze to mimic the one you gave him while you thanked him for always being there for you before he asked, "Are you going to be alright now or would you like to stay like this?" 

"Yeah, yeah...I'll be fine. I'll be okay now, even though the offer of staying here seems very enticing and comfortable." You nodded in your joke with a small chuckle as Connor chuckled too before he extended a helping hand to you in order to get you up from the hallway floor. Once he had you up standing again, Connor helped wipe away your remaining tears with his cold thumbs as you thanked him for his help before you excused yourself so you could go back to your bedroom to wash your face, put your makeup on, and get ready for another day of work. 

After waiting a couple minutes for you, you exited your bedroom in a fresh blue shirt and jeans with your usual ponytail and your face free of tears. At once, you grinned at Connor warmly while he gave you the same warm grin back before you sauntered over to your front door to grab your leather jacket and boots. Sitting down at your dining table, you pulled everything on slowly as you prepared to put your smartphone in the zip-up breast pocket on the front of your jacket before your phone rang loudly. At once, you noticed Captain Fowler's caller ID on the screen an the time being 7:08 PM as you slid the touch screen button to answer him before you replied, "Sergeant (Last Name). What can I do for you, Captain Fowler?" 

"Hello, (Name). Good evening. Did I get you at a bad time?" The older man asked you as you shook your head, "No, Sir. What's up?" 

"There's been a homicide at the Eden club and we suspect a deviant was involved. I need you, the RK800, and Hank to investigate it." 

"Not a problem, Sir. We'll get right on it." You announced as you and the police captain ended the phone conversation before Connor's LED stopper flashing yellow so it could return back to blue before he looked towards you, "Let me guess, you received a report of a homicide at the Eden Club involving a deviant." 

"Yep, Captain Fowler just called me and asked you, me, and Hank to be on the case." You explained with a grin as you dropped your phone into your front breast pocket, zipping the area of your jacket back up, before Connor suggested, "Then we should leave right away. But where might we find Hank?" 

"He might be at Jimmy's Bar. But if not, he might be at home. I would check the bar first since that's the one he usually frequents when he's stressed out." You replied before you grabbed your car keys and headed towards the front door, "I'll drive; you get shotgun." Watching you as you walked out the door, Connor's LED flashed to yellow as he saw banner flashes of 'She cares about you and she likes you' and 'You like her' in his current field of vision. However, Connor tried desperately to ignore it as his LED flashed back to blue since he couldn't picture a human caring about him, an android, much less loving him. Despite these doubts, Connor did harbor strong feelings for you that he couldn't deny or forget and in the back of his mind palace, he could always tell that you loved his company and to a larger extent, you loved him as a person, even if he was an android. This only made him grow more fond of you with each passing second and each new deviant case that landed on your desks. So as you two locked up your home and entered your car, you in the driver's seat and Connor in the passenger seat, both of you exchanged a soft smile with each other as you turned the key in the ignition. Backing out of your driveway slowly while looking behind you every so often, you eventually pulled out into the highway of you and Hank's neighborhood as you noticed your father figure's car in his driveway even though his house lights were barely on. However, you figured that he could just take a taxi to get to the bar and back, so you and Connor decided to check out Jimmy's Bar first as you drove into town to look for Hank.


	14. DBH Connor/RK800 X Fem! Reader - Inner Demons of the DPD Lieutenant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Here's Part 2 of the Inner Demons chapter for Connor and the female reader, the wonderful sergeant that this lovable, adorable detective android falls in love with. This chapter will also feature Hank Anderson and will correspond with the Russian Roulette chapter of the game, which made me post a link below to the original content of the canon game. So please enjoy. :)
> 
> Link = https://youtu.be/f7NxePKXcaU

For a few minutes since around 7 AM, you and Connor scoured the streets to look for Hank at Jimmy's Bar, only to find that the man hadn't been there since the first time he met Connor before the start of the Carlos Ortiz case. Therefore, you thanked the lead bartender for his help as you returned to the car with a soft sigh while Connor still sat in the passenger seat to keep your car running, which allowed him time to listen to your radio where you had your phone plugged in and charging in the cup holder so it could play songs on shuffle using your music app. Overall, you could tell that Connor was enjoying your random selection playlist even though Knights of the Black Death wasn't playing but rather another rock band that had a lot of energy to it was blaring in the android detective's ears while he nodded his head a couple times to the beat. After a few minutes of smiling at Connor while he turned to you and remarked that your taste in music was amazing, you nodded to him and thanked him for such a sweet compliment before you shrugged, "Well, this is Hank's frequent place to hang out even though he can go to any number of bars in Detroit. So the only other place I know he'd go is the park or his house, but we had a long day today. So he'll most likely be at home."

"So then we should probably see if he's home, but whatever decision you make is yours. You're the driver." Connor grinned as he attempted to make a joke, which caused you to giggle at his attempt since this android was really trying. Then, backing out of the parking lot, you drove all the way back to your neighborhood as you pulled into your driveway and parked your car on the pavement. Then, locking up your car and stuffing your keys in the front breast pocket of your leather jacket alongside your phone, you followed Connor across the street to Hank's house as you both looked around for signs of abnormality or disturbance in the yard or whatever you could catch sight of in the windows. After checking the living room windows and Hank's car only to find Sumo, a large St. Bernard laying on the living room floor and a messy vehicle interior riddled with junk food wrappers and bottles, you and Connor determined that there was no sign of danger as you whispered to your partner that the lights were still on, which only meant one thing: Hank was still home. 

Walking to the front door, you and Connor stood under the awning to avoid the pouring rain even though you both had already gotten pretty wet before Connor allowed you to get Hank's attention first. With only slight worry and urgency in your tone, you rapped your fist against the door as you told your brain to be optimistic and not think of your previous nightmare while you called out to your father figure softly, "Hank? Hank? It's me, (Name). Captain Fowler called several minutes ago so we have a case to solve. May Connor and I come in?" 

Silence followed your question for a couple minutes as you looked to Connor before you decided to call Hank's phone a fifth time. When all you got was his answering machine, you decided to let Connor try his hand at getting Hank's attention as the male detective called out to his and your partner while knocking on the door, "Lieutenant Anderson? Anybody home?" When silence occurred again, Connor decided to ring the doorbell as his finger pressed down on the button, which echoed in the air with an obnoxious sound that resembled a final buzzer at a basketball game. For a third time, nothing but silence followed by the pitter-patter of raindrops on the awning were present around you and Connor as the male detective exchanged a glance with you. Shrugging at each other with growing worry evident in both of your facial expressions, Connor decided to try the doorbell again as he slammed his finger down harder on the button, letting the buzzer sound go off for a full 60 seconds or more until it seemed obvious that Hank wasn't going to answer the door. 

Suggesting that you both go around the back, you led Connor through the backyard of the house as you checked the other windows that allowed a different view into the living room, only to still find Sumo laying on the floor with no sign of forced entry or robbery inside the house. So that was good, Hank's house hadn't been robbed or broken into. He and Sumo were still alive so you could relax. After all, your nightmare was just driven by anxiety since it wasn't real aside from you seeing your past memories again. All of these new facts found at Hank's house kept your stress levels down so you would stay calm, which made both you and Connor happy since the last thing he wanted to see was you get hurt again and the last thing you needed was to have another panic attack again tonight. However, your stress would go back up as soon as you and Connor looked in the kitchen window, seeing Hank unconscious on the floor with a kitchen chair knocked over and a bottle of whiskey near him even though no blood was pooped around your beloved father figure. 

You knew it! You knew Hank had severe depression and suicidal thoughts based on your observations, which led to a personal diagnosis that you mentioned to your father figure once before so he could get help or at least talk to you since you were trained as a psychologist in college. But you never thought he would take it this far, even when you knew Hank had made many attempts on his life since he lost a piece of himself when he lost his field partner and his son. Now, your nightmare wasn't just your worst fears presented in a grotesque manner. It soon became a reality as the images of Hank laying in a pool of crimson blood flashed in your mind, frightening you to no end as you gasped with wide eyes and your hand over your mouth, trying desperately not to sob on the spot, "Oh, god! Hank!" 

"Lieutenant Anderson!" Connor called out as he grabbed you in his arms and politely asked you to stand back as you nodded, deeply breathing in and out through your nose to keep yourself calm even when Hank's current state caused you heart palpitations, before the male detective elbowed the glass. Knocking out all the glass to create a safe passage for both of you, Connor jumped through the window with a clumsy stumble before Sumo growled and barked at the android intruder. Pulling himself to a sitting position, Connor tried to pacify the gargantuan animal with his hand in front of him as he grinned sheepishly,   
"Easy, Sumo...I'm your friend, see?...I know your name; I'm here to save your owner." 

After sniffing Connor's jacket and giving one last huff, Sumo ignored the android with a wag of his tail as he went right back to his bowl to nibble some dog food while your partner breathed deeply to calm himself. Given Sumo's enormous size and fierce protectiveness over Hank, Connor knew that if he had done one wrong move moments ago, the dog would've taken his face and limbs off. However, having you there definitely helped since the dog recognized your scent on Connor's jacket and ignored the android once he didn't perceive him as a threat to either you or Hank, especially after you hopped through the window and greeted the dog with a soft scratch behind his ears and a gentle tone, causing his tail to wag and smack the floor below him in an excited frenzy. 

Then, kneeling down beside Hank, you and Connor examined his body as you found he was only asleep from bodily exhaustion and alcohol consumption. While you were relieved that Hank was still alive, it still scared and worried you that he was suicidal and that you and Connor nearly found him dead, especially after the nightmare you had minutes ago. Therefore, it was no wonder as to why you visibly shook with widened eyes as you hugged yourself with deep inhales and exhales through your nose in order to stay calm. However, Connor was there to ground you again by gripping your shoulder comfortingly with a soft, closed-mouth grin, which seemed to do the trick as your stress levels reduced down to 10% so that you were still alert to danger but you weren't freaking out like a chicken with its head cut off. Then, turning back to Hank, Connor tapped the man's cheek lightly with his open palm as he called out, "Lieutenant? Wake up, Lieutenant!" When Hank only stirred with half-opened eyes before fluttering his baby blues shut again, Connor decided to take a different approach as he pimp-slapped Hank as hard as he could while the older detective grunted in pain and snapped his eyes open while your android partner announced, "It's me, Connor. I'm going to sober you up for your own safety. I have to warn you, this may be unpleasant." 

Cursing up a storm as Connor forced him to his feet, you assisted your partner as you grabbed Hank on the other side before your android partner told the older detective,   
"I'm sorry, Lieutenant, but (Name) and I need you. Thank you in advance for your cooperation." With a gargantuan grunt as you and Connor pulled him down the hall, Hank looked around for his beloved pet's assistance as he commanded with a holler,   
"Sumo, attack!" All Sumo did was bark loudly while he remained in his dog bed, laying down on his stomach, before Hank grinned lovingly in his inebriated state of mind, "Good dog...Attack!" 

With help from Connor holding Hank upright against the wall as you opened the bathroom door while your father figure claimed he felt like he was going to be sick, you eventually got the door open as you grabbed Hank's other side and pulled his hand off the door since he clutched it like a cat clawing the wall to avoid being placed in a tub for an overdue bath while he cursed at Connor the majority of the time he was being dragged to the bathroom, "Ah, leave me alone, you asshole! I'm not going anywhere!" 

After you and Connor situated Hank near the bathtub, the older man looked at you both with a puzzled expression as he gave you both a question of 'What the hell are you doing?' with a whine before you asked of your father figure, "Please sit down, Hank. You're gonna be just fine, but you need to calm down and cooperate please." Then, as you gestured for Hank to sit in the tub while Connor helped lower him into the porcelain basin gently, the older man shook his head at you and Connor with a chuckle as he turned down what he thought was a polite offer while he pulled himself up to stand again, "Oh no. I don't want a bath, thanks." 

"I would beg to differ, Hank." You joked as you laughed into your hand before Connor grinned at you, evidence of him holding back a laugh obvious as you watched him bite his bottom lip and wink back at you to insinuate acknowledgment of your sharp tongue and quick wit. Then, the android detective turned back around to Hank in order to take control of the situation again with a firm, insistent tone, "Sorry, Lieutenant. It's for your own good." With a small nudge, Connor managed to get Hank back down into the tub before he turned the knob on the nearest setting, which quickly showered Hank in a cascade of freezing liquid that made him feel like he was getting pricked with a thousand needles as he screamed and convulsed in the bathtub, "TURN IT OFF! TURN IT OFF!" 

After listening to the lieutenant's command, Connor shut off the shower head as you and him watched Hank intently, noticing the subtle difference in his state of mind change from completely inebriated and incoherent to sober with a bad hangover as his baby blues focused on you both. Without their previous glassiness, Hank trained his gaze on you and Connor before he asked how you two, but especially Connor, got into his house. This caused Connor to reply first as he explained, "A homicide was reported 43 minutes ago. We couldn't find you at Jimmy's Bar, so Sergeant (Last Name) and I came to see if you were at home." 

"And we saw you collapsed on the kitchen floor, so we might've broken your window. But don't worry, I'll pay for all the damages." You apologized as Hank brushed your comment aside, telling you not to worry about it since he had his own money and you were completely justified in breaking through his window. After all, he knew you had seen him at his worst before since Cole's death and he knew it terrified you to see him like that, all drunk to the point where he couldn't stand or speak coherently and attempting multiple suicides through the use of a handgun, especially after the death of your father and the decline of your relationship with your mother until recent times after she apologized to you and Hank. Heck, one time, Hank nearly broke down your bedroom door with a powerful kick when you had a nightmare during the time you lived with him and screamed at the top of your lungs while asleep. So if you broke his window rather than use your spare key to open his front door because you were worried for him, it didn't faze him one bit. After all, you both cared about each other like father and daughter (even though you were technically godfather and goddaughter), and Hank knew that he would personally damage property to get to you if he ever felt you were in any danger. However, he didn't really care for Connor always following him around like a lost puppy or baby duckling, and that was very evident in his next few sentences as he cursed and commanded for the android to leave while he stumbles to get out of the tub, causing him to nearly fall had you and Connor not braced him by gripping his waist, lowering him back down to the porcelain basin slowly with expert care. Then, shaking his head with wide eyes, Hank directed disbelief and frustration towards Connor as he asked the male detective, "Can't you just leave me alone?"

Not knowing what approach Connor would take, you just waited patiently for a response before you could hint sarcasm and sharp wit in your partner's tone, "I understand. It probably wasn't interesting anyways...A man found dead in a sex club downtown..." As he started to walk away from Hank, you actually hid a laugh by biting your lower lip as you sauntered behind Connor while he shrugged with a soft smirk on his face, "Guess they'll have to solve the case without us." 

"You know, probably wouldn't do me any harm to get some air..." Hank shrugged as he contemplated Connor's description of the case before he told your partner, "There's some clothes in the bedroom there." 

"I'll go get them." Connor nodded as he sauntered off to the older man's bedroom while you announced that you would give your father figure some privacy, patting his shoulder lightly with a gentle grin as Hank grabbed the hand you laid across his shoulder with his own gentle smile directed at you. With baby blue irises and irises of (Eye Color) staring at each other with such deep-rooted familial love, you and Hank definitely gave a visual picture of complete understanding to outsiders looking in as you both exchanged a nod to acknowledge that he was going to be okay and that you were going to leave him alone for a few minutes. 

As you exited the bathroom, you walked to the living room to pet Sumo as he laid on the ground in his dog bed, savoring every stroke across his fur with his tail wagging back and forth in pleasure as you grinned at the companion who always brought you comfort just by his mere existence as man's best friend. Even from the living room, you could hear Connor and Hank speaking as you picked up pieces of their conversation, starting with Connor, "What do you want to wear?"

"Whatever." Hank answered nonchalantly as you saw Connor appear back out of the bedroom with a handful of clothes before you heard Hank gagging and coughing like a man who was overcome with a wave of severe nausea. Watching as Connor set down the clothes, you went back to the bathroom to check on your father figure before you asked, "Hank, is everything okay? Do you need me to get you food or something?"  

"Are you alright, Lieutenant?" Connor asked as Hank bent over the toilet bowl, clutching the porcelain with an iron grip, before he brushed the two of you off, "Yeah...Yeah...Wonderful. Just a...Give me five minutes, okay?" 

"Sure." You and Connor nodded with your answer in perfect unison as you both shut the door to the bathroom before you heard Hank morning and hollering while liquid plops could be heard echoing in the toilet during their descent from Hank to the bowl. This only caused Connor to worry more since he had never heard someone get sick before, which surprised you since you theorized that he would be able to expect the unexpected, as he asked with his firm tone full of growing panic, "Are you okay, Lieutenant?!" Only hearing a moan in response, Connor figured he needed to just leave Hank alone and give him the five minutes he requested. 

In the meantime, Connor decided that he needed to learn more about Hank. The more he knew about his partner, the better it would assist him in communicating with Hank. In fact, learning more about you definitely made talking easier for Connor, especially when the conversations didn't involve the occupation you both shared. So it was no wonder that Connor began scanning everything in sight to learn Hank's habits, hobbies, and personal preferences before his eyes landed on a CD. Upon further inspection, Connor recognized the genre to be jazz, much different from Hank's usual preference of listening to Knights of the Black Death. Nodding upon concluding that Hank liked jazz and heavy metal, Connor moved over to the sleeping giant Sumo as he pet across the animal's fur, which caused the St. Bernard to pant happily while the android smiled. Basking in the joy of petting a live dog for the first time, Connor continued to grin to indicate his extreme love for canine companions as you smiled at your partner from your standing position in the kitchen. What made the moment even more heartfelt and special was the fact that your smile didn't go unnoticed by Connor, who smiled back at you with the most tender expression that you had ever seen him give you in all the time you knew him. 

After you finished grinning at the little moment you, Connor, and Sumo shared together, you bent down to pick up the fallen dining chair to push it back under the table before you noticed a picture frame on the table. Upon further examination after turning it over, the smiling baby face staring back at you overwhelmed you with memories, good and bad. At once, you visibly shook like a Chihuahua as tears formed in your bottom eye lids again, causing you to wipe them away as soon as you heard Connor's familiar footsteps and gentle voice behind you, with him asking if you were alright. Giving him a small nod as you took deep breathes through your nose to continue to keep calm, you were able to feel your heartbeat relax in your chest as you laid the photo back down on the table and walked to the far side of the kitchen. While you were able to keep yourself under control physically and mentally, you knew that if you kept staring at the gun and the photograph of Cole, you would surely break down in front of Connor again. And since you were about ready to go on another deviant case in five minutes, you knew you couldn't break down now so you had to keep it together. You just had to. 

However, that didn't stop Connor from inspecting the photograph as he scanned the face. Within seconds, a red banner appeared in his current field of vision as it displayed the name Cole Anderson, followed by a birth and death date. If one were to do the math, they would see that Cole had just turned six years old a month prior to his death in a horrific car accident. According to the police report, Hank's car rolled off the road after a truck skidded on ice and crashed into the single father and his beloved son. The report also named you as the responding officer who investigated the crash, but it also detailed that a human doctor was too high on red ice to operate on Cole, who needed emergency surgery to live. Therefore, an android doctor had to operate on the boy, but it was all in vain since Cole died anyways, exactly three years before Connor ever met you and Hank. Putting the pieces together in his mind palace, Connor realized why Hank hated androids so much and why he was a functioning alcoholic with suicidal tendencies. His son had died after being operated on by an android; it would only make sense for Hank to be angry and feel that his son was unfairly taken from him, which would then lead to a game of who was to blame. After all, when a parent lost a child, they lost a piece of themselves too since no one should ever have to bury their loved ones, especially not a parent burying a small child. In that moment, Connor truly felt for Hank even though he was an android who had no wife or children of his own to love, even if he secretly had strong feelings for you. But he also began to understand your reaction to seeing Hank unconscious in the kitchen before you both broke through the window and why you nearly started crying and panicking again when you looked at Cole's most recent photograph. You were Hank's daughter figure, so it only made sense that you would be like a big sister to Cole. Even just the thought of having to be the one to investigate Cole's death and also act as a rock for Hank in his bereavement, it tore Connor up inside as his thirium pump ached with every beat against his chest, just knowing that you not only lost your father but Cole too. What made this moment even more tragic was that Connor realized how scared you actually were, racking your brain with worry every day over the statistical possible of finding Hank dead in his home due to suicide or work, even finding Connor dead due to an attack from a dangerous deviant. 

However, Connor's strong emotions of friendship and empathy towards Hank and you would only grow once he found the loaded revolver on the ground. Bending down to inspect it, Connor turned around as he gripped his hand with yours to ground you so that you wouldn't panic and cry again since he knew you didn't want to be vulnerable and cause others to worry. Giving a silent grin with sparkling eyes and a mouthing of the words 'thank you,' Connor mouthed back a 'You're welcome' as he squeezed your hand, causing you to squeeze his back. Returning to his professional yet caring demeanor, Connor decided to get some answers in regards to the gun in order to find out what Hank needed it for as he firmly asked, "What were you doing with the gun?"

"Russian Roulette! Wanted to see how long I could last...Must've collapsed before I found out." Hank explained from the bathroom as Connor opened the chamber, noticing that there was only one bullet left, before he told the older detective, "You were lucky. The next shot would've killed you." 

"Oh, god, Hank...I wish I could do more to help you since I know better than anyone what loss feels like." You gasped as you squeezed Connor's hand again while he squeezed yours again to ground you before you both heard Hank enter the kitchen from behind. With both of you giving a soft smile to the older man, Hank exchanged a soft grin back as Sumo woke up from his power nap to see you three out before Hank chuckled, "Be a good dog, Sumo. I won't be long." 

"See you later, buddy." You replied as you gave Sumo a kiss on the head as he wagged his tail before Connor scratched the dog behind his ears in passing with a warm statement, "Bye, Sumo. It was nice to meet you." Wagging his tail at the android and even licking his hand, you and Connor grinned at each other warmly as Hank beckoned you to follow him out the front door once he grabbed his keys. 

With everyone all buckled in, Hank took control of the car as you three headed off for the Eden Club. You didn't know what was in store and you didn't know what would happen. Sure, fear coursed through your veins at the thought of losing Hank or Connor on the job, especially with deviants that were scared and would stop at nothing to be free, even if it meant killing innocent people to escape. But as Connor kept gripping your hand in his to keep you focused, it made you realize that you both really cared about each other more than what you and him led everyone, even each other, to believe. It also made you realize that he did care about you more than just a field partner, especially after he saved your life and admitted he was afraid to lose you, which meant he chose YOU over a deviant or a mission. That only made your feelings for him grow and his feelings for you grow too with every squeeze of hands that you exchanged in that car before you pulled into the Eden Club parking lot. At once, you three exited the vehicle and got right down to business, preparing for the worst sights at this crime scene as flashes of pink and blue filled your eyes. This would be your most interesting case to date and your first case done at a popular hotspot in town, but you were sure that you, Connor, and Hank could solve it together and finally find a link between deviants and the mysterious RA9. Only time and good observations of evidence would tell.


	15. DBH Connor/RK800 X Fem! Reader - Fight for your Love; Fight for your Freedom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Hi, my lovelies. Here's another Connor oneshot for Detroit: Become Human that corresponds with the Eden Club chapter. For that reason, I provided a YouTube link to the original canon game dialogue but I included my own choices that I made during my own playthrough of the game. Please enjoy :)
> 
> Link = https://youtu.be/v3O787vzm5U

As soon as you, Hank, and Connor were parked outside the Eden Club, Hank grabbed his head with a wince and squinted eyes as he parked the car before he moaned, "Awww, feels like someone's playing with a drill inside my skull." 

"That would be diagnosed as a serious hangover, Hank." You quipped as you chuckled into your hand while Connor bit back a laugh while his usual wink of one eye   
signaled to you that he had gotten the joke before Hank chuckled mockingly at you as he continued to clutch his forehead. This only made you feel for him more as you placed a gentle hand on his shoulder before you handed him two aspirin from a zipped-up plastic bag that resided in the other front breast pocket of your jacket as you reassured him, "But to be fair, hangovers do suck. And since I always know hangovers suck even though I don't drink any alcohol except for fruity cocktails, I always take the liberty of being prepared." After giving you a reply of thanks before downing the pills dry, Hank looked towards the building again before he asked your male partner, "You sure this is the place?"

"It's the address in the report." Connor replied back professionally before Hank shrugged, "Right...Okay...Let's get going." Exiting the vehicle, Hank nearly stumbled out of the driver's seat and his head on the door as he muttered a 'Jesus' under his breath before you and Connor followed him inside the building where pink, blue, and purple all bled together in a burst of colors that could be seen from even the darkest corner of Detroit. 

Going under the arched entrance of the building, Hank read the signs and advertisements printed on the sides of the walls aloud before he made a small joke directed at your android partner, "Sexiest androids in town. Now I know why you insisted on coming here!" With every step through the entrance, it was a real sight to watch Connor get distracted by the many male and female androids who danced around in glass capsules, scantily-clad in black with faces fair and bodies that were surely sculpted by Aphrodite. Placing his hand on the glass as he stared up at his fellow brethren, you and Hank both had the same thoughts, even without the convenience of telepathy like what androids were equipped with. All Connor was created to do was hunt down deviants, but all he craved for was what all humane individuals desire, from the most broken-hearted and abused to the most happy and well-off. All Connor really wanted in this world was a companion, whether that meant a loyal canine, a field partner he considered a close friend, or even a detective that he grew to admire, respect, and even love. Just seeing him look at these male and female employees with such compassion and longing, even exchanging a side glance at you that held more meaning than the one he gave to the Eden Club androids, it made you and Hank's hearts warm at the moment as you both even smiled at your android detective partner from afar. Staring at the androids alongside Connor, you placed your hand on his shoulder to ground him back into reality as you stared up at the android too before you remarked with a soft smile, "They're really fascinating, aren't they?"

"Yes, they are...But you're more fascinating, as both a friend and a partner." Connor responded as he turned back to you with a smile followed by a wink of one eye, which caused you to feel warm inside as your face heat up with a red hue and your heart beat faster in your chest. Connor even noticed this involuntary reaction with his scanners as he perceived an increase in your endorphin levels, especially after he made that compliment to you directly, which made him happy that you were happy in his presence. Even Hank was touched by seeing you happy in the presence of the altruistic, loyal RK800, but he was pretty quick to cut it short due to his bad hangover and his need to get the case solved and over with as he called out to you and Connor firmly while you both announced that you were coming. 

Sauntering behind Hank together, you and Connor came to the scene of the crime as techno music blared in the background just as you heard the male owner of the Eden Club shout to fellow police officer Ben as he was being interrogated, "You're not gonna take my license, are you? I mean, ha, I had nothing to do with this!" 

"The investigation's ongoing, Sir. I can't tell you anything for the moment." Ben answered back before he noticed your father figure, which changed his mood as he seemed more cordial even with the somber circumstances that brought you all together again, "Hey, Hank!"

"Hey, Ben! How's it goin?" Hank greeted back with a polite salutations before Ben explained with a point to one of the private rooms, "It's that room there. Oh, uh, by the way...Gavin's in there too."

"Oh great." You and Hank sighed in annoyance with an eye roll in unison as Hank mumbled out with nothing but intolerance for the younger detective in his tone, "A dead body and an asshole, just what I needed." A few seconds later, it was your turn to mutter under your breath as you shook your head, "Whose idea was it to send Officer Narcissus on a case at a sex club?" All Connor did was dart his eyes around as you and Hank explored the private room, but not without meeting your gaze as he hid another laugh with a subtle bite of his lower lip while you grinned warmly at him before you entered the room. 

At once, the three of you saw the arrogant detective standing in front of the male victim with his arms over his chest as he greeted sarcastically, "Lieutenant Anderson, his plastic pet, and his nerdy protégé."

"Screw you, Reed." You spat out with a snippy tone and a death glare, even from across the room, before Gavin asked, "What are you three deplorables doing here?" 

"We've been assigned all cases involving deviants. If you'll notice, I said we, meaning Sergeant (Last Name), Lieutenant Anderson, and myself. Not us, referring to everyone in this room." Connor replied back with a certain bite and wisdom as you and Hank turned around with wide eyes directed at the android, surprised that such a sweet individual like him even had a sarcastic bone in his body. 

"Oh yeah?" Gavin asked with perked eyebrows and even surprise that Connor even had sarcasm written into his program for interactions with humans and androids alike before he scoffed with a hyena's cackle and his hands still crossed over his chest, "Well, you're wasting your time...Just some pervert who, uh, got more action than he could handle." 

"Do you have no respect for the dead?" You asked your more arrogant coworker as your eyes rolled again and your tone still held a contempt-filled bite to it before Hank shrugged, "We'll have a look anyways, if you don't mind." 

"Come on, let's go." Gavin shrugged as he beckoned for Chris to follow him out of the room before he made a snide comment directed at Hank, "It's, uh, starting to stink of booze in here..." 

"Said like a true asshole and narcissist, Gavin, bravo. I made a satisfactory diagnosis." You clapped slowly with sarcasm dripping from your lips before you stood in Gavin's way so he couldn't leave the room, "You wanna pay an Eden Club girl here for an hour at the Eden Club so she can stroke your ego and get into your pants too? That might be good cognitive-behavioral therapy for you so you can get rid of your pent-up frustration and stop treating people like crap." 

"Well, you would know all about pent-up frustration, wouldn't you, (Name)? Maybe you should deal with your own daddy issues and stop trying to get into Hank's pants, you sick disciple of Freud." Gavin retorted back as he grabbed your bicep on the way out to hold you close as his face was inches away from your face, eyes glaring daggers into yours as you glared daggers back, before you pulled your arm out of his iron grip. Absolutely not! No! You REFUSED to give this asshole the satisfaction of getting you down, even though that insult held such maliciousness to it that it nearly made you want to cry. It was bad enough that Gavin insulted you, Hank, and Connor on a day-to-day basis, even if you three had done nothing to garner that kind of resentment. Personally, you had dealt with assholes your whole life, in college and at DPD, so you knew how to handle yourself in the real world. Dealing with ignorant and/or arrogant assholes was a very good people skill to have since they would always be encountered by everyone. But to go so far as to insult your late father when he explicitly knew that your father died on the job while working as a loyal, hardworking employee at DPD in the pursuit of stopping red ice sales and knew that your father wasn't alive to defend himself from such insults, that was a low blow, even for someone as petty and bitter as Gavin. 

Therefore, it was no surprise that your eyes shone with forming tears even though you didn't let them fall from your eyelids so you wouldn't give this bully the glory of knowing that he was the one to upset you. But it WAS a surprise to see Connor block Gavin's way so he couldn't leave as the brunette rolled his eyes with a huff of 'Now what?' before the android gave a facial expression that you had never seen him give your arrogant coworker before. Honestly, seeing that much anger in Connor's usually-warm, chocolate eyes as his hands clenched into fists by his sides, trembling against his legs as if he was ready to deck Gavin any second if he said one more snide insult about you or Hank, scared you and your father figure to say the least. But it also revealed a human, more sensitive side to the detective android as he firmly suggested to Gavin with his eyes never diverting from the taller man's gaze, "You can say what you want about me, Lieutenant Anderson, and Sergeant (Last Name) because we can handle it. But you have no right to treat your fellow officers this way and you have no right to bring her late father into this when he can't even defend himself. Apologize to (Name), now." 

"I don't take orders from you, plastic detective. Move!" Gavin hissed as he shoved past Connor with a rough nudge as the android planted his feet down to avoid stumbling with an unpleasant crash into the nearest wall. With a huff as he stomped off, Gavin left the Eden Club as Chris came up to you and Hank before he rolled his eyes and apologized, "Sorry for that. He still has a lot to learn."

"He shouldn't be allowed to speak to people like they're crap, including you or us. That ain't even right. The sooner he learns he can't go through life acting like that in order to get what he wants, the better." You retorted kindly since you did care for Chris and felt bad that he was constantly paired up on cases with such an arrogant, ignorant employee who just used people as a means to an end like a Grade-A sociopath in order to make a name for himself and get all the credit before the African-American male in blue sighed with an eye roll that signified deep understanding of the situation, "Yeah, I know. He's a nightmare and he's had many complaints but whatever...Night, Lieutenant, Sergeant."

"Thanks, Chris, you're the best. You go on home to your son and get some rest. Please take care of yourself and tell Damien I said hi if you get a chance." You replied as you pat the older man's shoulder while he nodded, "Damien would love to hear that. And it's no problem. Good luck." 

"Thanks." You replied as the man left the room before Connor processed the conversation in his head, taking in all the facts such as the hate-hate relationship you had with your fellow detective Gavin Reed and how much you cared for Chris and his son Damien. From what he saw, Connor saw you were real with people, not blowing smoke up their ass, and you always cared about them and their family, both on the job and off. But he also saw a deep sadness in you regarding Gavin's comment about your father, even though he also noticed your subtle physiological signs of trying to not let it get to you. This was why Connor came up behind you as you knelt down beside the victim before he asked, "Hey, you okay, (Name)?"

"Yeah, it stings a little because it was my father he insulted and he's not even alive to defend himself, but I'm honestly not even surprised..." You responded as you turned to Connor with a shrug and an indifferent facial expression, "Gavin knows about my father and this isn't the first time he's said bad things about me or Hank, but he's never insulted my father before. But I've already accepted that he's an ass because I know he's an ass, so I don't let him have the satisfaction of getting me down." However, your blank face soon changed into a warm smile directed at Connor with every bit of passion and love in your heart for him, "But thanks for asking, Connor. I can always count on you to be there for me and I appreciate you for that." 

"Anytime, Sergeant. I'd do anything for you." Connor grinned as he grabbed your hand in a gentle squeeze that you reciprocated before you both knelt beside the bodies so you could examine it for clues but also record all your findings for this case through the use of audio sourced from you and your male partners on your tape recorder. At once, you and Connor went over to a black-haired female android that laid in a spread-out position with thirium dripping from her nostril as your android partner dipped his finger into the blue, taking a long lick to analyze the blood, before Hank hollered, "Whoa! Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! AGHHHH, CONNOR! You're so disgusting! I think I'm gonna puke again!" 

"Hank, that's how he analyzes blood. Let the man do his job." You fired back calmly as you rolled your eyes and gave your android partner a warm gaze to express that you weren't uncomfortable by what he was doing before you remarked, "It goes without saying that this was a WR400, better known as a Traci. They're one of many commonly-used androids at the Eden Club." 

"You know your androids, Sergeant." Connor raised his eyebrows with a smile, complimenting your very intelligence with his words and facial expressions, while you shrugged matter-of-factly, "Well, it always helps to know about androids when you work around deviants every day." 

"It's amazing how much knowledge you have since it's helpful on cases. That's why you make a great partner."

"Well, you're not too bad yourself, Connor." You flirted back with your own version of a wink of one eye followed by a smile as Connor copied your gesture before Hank moaned on the other side of the room, "Ughhh, would you two stop flirting and get some clues already so we can get out of here?"

"Okay, Hank." You nodded with a roll of your eyes and a chuckle while Connor apologized with all sincerity in his tone, "Sorry, Lieutenant." After a few minutes of investigating the Traci, you and Connor took a look at the victim while you heard Hank on the other side of the room, "Driver's license says: Michael Graham...A credit card, cash in the wallet...Picture of his wife and two daughters. I wouldn't want to make that call." 

Satisfied with the analysis you made on the victim, you and Connor both stood up from the floor as you helped each other up before your male partner announced his findings, "He didn't die of a heart attack; he was strangled."

"Yeah, I saw the bruising on the neck." Hank nodded in agreement as you came to a consensus with your other partners, "Me too."

"Doesn't prove anything though. Could've been rough play." Hank shrugged as he went right back to looking for clues in the room before you announced with all seriousness in your tone alongside a shake of your head and a look of disgust on your face, intriguing Connor since he learned yet another fact about you, "And this is why BDSM is not my thing." After processing your words, it was very obvious that Hank had chuckled into his hand at what you said since he knew better than anyone what you liked and disliked due to his role as your second father/uncle/godfather figure, even with something as personal as your current virgin status. Connor even noticed nothing but honesty in your tone and physiological reactions as he scanned your body, confirming what Hank already knew in regards to your experience with coital intimacy. Staring at you lovingly with every bit of fondness towards you, Connor thought it was quite fascinating, mainly because you were such a beautiful woman and you were so pure and just overall a wonderful person to the android detective. It only made Connor fall more in love with you with every second and every glance since he wanted a companion, and of all the people he wanted to have a choice between, he wanted to be the one who was lucky enough to share companionship with you. 

(Software Instability ^) 

After investigating the room a little bit longer, Connor looked to you and Hank with his usual head tilt and puppy-dog eyes of brown before he remarked, "We're missing something here." 

"Okay, well, let's see what we got and then work backwards to come up with..." You announced as you looked to Connor and Hank as you walked around the room and pointed to both victims before you narrated as you walked and talked everything out, "Okay...A human and an android meet at the Eden Club. The human rents the female android, and the human dies. But this poor girl is also dead, so they didn't just keel over and die together like Romeo and Juliet. So someone else would've had to have been here in order for both of them to die."

"Ockam's Razor and the rules of parsimony say that the simplest explanation is always the best one since it's the most logical." Connor responded with the tone and diction of an expert before you nodded back, "Correct. So, what are you thinking, Connor?" 

Kneeling down in front of the female Traci again, Connor inspected her red LED and the wiring inside her stomach while Hank asked his male partner, "Think you can read the android's memory? Maybe you can see what happened." 

"I can try. The only way to access its memory is to reactivate it." 

"Think you can do it?" Hank questioned his partner again before you knelt down beside Connor while you offered the android detective some assistance, "You need any help?" 

"No, I got it, (Name). But thank you for your help." Connor shook his head before he gave you a warm smile to show his gratitude while you nodded with your own grin, "No problem."

"It's badly damaged...If I can, it'll only be for a minute, maybe less. I just hope it's long enough to learn something." Connor announced as he grabbed two blue wires from inside the Traci's stomach in order to connect them so he could reactivate the female android to access her memories. Within seconds, the Traci gasped painfully with a convulsing body as her LED continued to glow red before she crawled wildly to the corner of the room, hyperventilating as if she had just survived a horrific drowning while tears formed in her eyes and her back pressed against the wall. At once, you and Connor slowly got closer to her as you both knelt down before you held out your hand for the Traci to take, "It's okay, sweetie. We're not going to hurt you. We just want to help." 

Giving you a look of mistrust, the Traci stared at you for a few seconds to make sure that you weren't going to hurt her physically before she saw nothing but honesty and kindness in you. Therefore, the Traci took your hand as her LED flashed yellow, with you giving her synthetic flesh a gentle squeeze that she reciprocated with what little strength she had left before she remarked with a sad smile, "You're very kind, Miss..."

"Calm down. Everything's alright. All we want is to know what happened." Connor soothed as he knelt beside you and spoke directly to the Traci before she looked over at the victim, LED still yellow, before she stared back at you and Connor, "Is he...Is he dead?"

"Tell me what happened." Connor suggested with a firm yet calm tone as the Traci answered brokenly, "He started hitting me again...and again..."

"Did you kill him?" 

"No. No, it wasn't me." The Traci answered with a half-hearted cry towards Connor before the male detective asked her, "Were you alone in the room? Was there anyone else with you?" 

"He wanted to play with two girls. That's what he said. There were two of us." 

"Where did the other android go? Did it say anything?" Connor asked as he was curious to learn more about the second occupant of the room before the Traci suddenly stopped talking. With a drop of her head as her body stiffened and her LED flashed red, eventually that red light burnt out with the last breath she took, leaving you, Hank, and Connor visibly and internally stunned with wide eyes upon seeing an android die. With your eyes fluttering shut to prevent the tears that nearly fell upon seeing someone die for the first time while you were on a case, you knelt close to the Traci as you placed your hand over her eyelids. Closing them out of respect for her body, you pat her head with a somber expression before you began to monologue to yourself, "No matter the victim, abuse is still a prevalent issue to both humans and androids alike. But even more so with androids since most people dehumanize them as slaves...It's awful what these poor individuals go through, so I can definitely see why many deviants kill their owners. If I was them, I'd kill every last abuser too...Rest in peace, hon. You deserved better than this." 

As you stood up from your kneeling position to look down at the Traci, Connor also stood up from his own kneeling position while Hank came closer to both of you. At the same time, you felt Connor grab your hand subtly, even while he didn't care if his superior officer saw the interaction between himself and you. Squeezing your hand to ground you again, you reciprocated Connor's comfort with your own squeeze to reassure him that you were okay while Hank stared at the both of you. With wide baby blues and a dropped jaw, Hank couldn't believe what he witnessed. He knew Connor had respect and admiration for you, as evidenced by the past interactions the android detective had with you. He also knew that you and Connor were rather flirtatious with each other, on and off the job. But the way Connor held your hand...In Hank's mind, it seemed as though this android had more feelings for you than he led everyone else, even the famous lieutenant, to believe. For a moment, it looked like you and Connor were a cute human couple that everyone would dream of being like, and for those few seconds, Hank actually smiled from behind you and Connor since the android detective was becoming more humane and less machine whenever he engaged in conversation or contact with you. It only made Hank feel more secure, knowing that Connor could protect you from physical and mental harm when he wasn't around. 

However, a case still needed to be solved, so Hank went back to the task at hand as he remarked, "So there was another android. This happened over an hour ago. It's probably long gone." 

"No, it couldn't go outside dressed like that unnoticed. It might still be here." Connor suggested before the older detective shrugged while he asked a question, "Think you could find a deviant among all the other androids in this place?" 

"Deviants aren't easily detected."

"There's gotta be some other way." 

"Well, the Traci in this room claimed she wasn't alone when she was abused before she died...So maybe another Eden Club android saw the deviant leave." You theorized aloud as you gazed at Hank and Connor for approval or agreement before your brunette partner smiled at you with sparkling chocolate orbs while he nodded,   
"You're onto something, Sergeant. I like the way you think."

"Thanks, Connor. I like the way you think too." You grinned back as you winked at Connor, causing him to grin and wink back at you, before Hank grinned at you both with a closed mouth while he announced, "I'm gonna go ask the manager a few questions about what he saw. You two let me know if you think of anything." 

"Kay." You nodded with a salute to Hank as Connor followed you out of the room where the crime occurred before you both noticed a capsule containing an Eden Club android. With his eyebrows perked up and his chocolate eyes staring ahead at his fellow brethren, Connor looked at the panel beside the capsule as he placed his hand upon it. However, he was soon rejected by the electric panel because androids lacked fingerprints, something the panel required in order to unlock the capsule and rent the android inside it. 

At once, Connor looked to you before your partner asked for your help, "Sergeant, I need to ask a favor."

"Sure. Anything you need, I've got you." You answered back before the brunette android pointed to the capsule with his index finger as he tried to explain himself without stuttering as his face blushed blue, "I...I need you to open the capsule...We can see if this android saw the deviant since I can access their memories, but I need to touch them in order to do so...But it would require you to rent them with your own money." Without even a question, you placed your hand down on the panel as it beeped with recognition of a handprint before you typed in your bank account information and rented the android out for thirty minutes. At once, the android flirtatiously grinned at you with a wink of their eyes as you greeted them warmly before you remarked that you didn't rent them for you, but rather for your male partner. Gesturing to Connor, you watched as the female Asian Traci giggled with her short, black hair bobbing around her shoulders before you grabbed her hand so she could grab Connor's. With both of their synthetic skin layers peeling off their interlocked palms to create a pleasant glow of white against the pink, purple, and blue of the club, you watched Connor's LED flash yellow as he actively searched this android's memories before his LED quickly flashed red. All at once, Connor's LED slowly cycled back to blue as he let go of the android female before he gasped, "This android saw the deviant leave the room...It was a blue-haired Traci." 

"That's great. But we need to know where it went and fast. Maybe we should get Hank and regroup." You suggested politely while Connor nodded in agreement with his own polite grin, "You're absolutely right. Please get Lieutenant Anderson. I'll look for more witnesses."

"Kay." You nodded as you lightly jogged over to your father figure, who was still questioning the owner of the Eden Club with a firm tone and a determination to solve this case, before you called out to him politely, "Hank, sorry to interrupt, but we need you back with us."

"Ben, take over please." Hank commanded to his fellow officer as the white-haired man nodded with an affirmative answer before he returned to interrogating the owner while the famous lieutenant followed you back to Connor, "You find anything?"

"Connor and I found a female android who saw the deviant leave the room. We're looking for a blue-haired Traci. Connor's looking for more witnesses now." You explained on the few steps back to your android partner before Hank nodded with a smile of approval and a pat to your shoulder,   
"Good job, (Nickname). Man, if (Father's Name) could see you now, he'd be proud." 

"Thanks, Uncle Hank." You smiled back with shining eyes as you squeezed the hand that your father figure had placed on your shoulder before you both returned to your android partner as you asked him kindly, "Hey, Connor. You find another witness yet?"

"Yes, right here. I was also thinking about something." Connor explained as he pointed to the capsule with his index finger before you asked him, "About what?"

"Club policy is to wipe the androids' memory every two hours. We only have a few minutes if we wanna find another witness." 

"Then, let's question as many androids as we can. I'll unlock the capsule for this one." 

"Thanks."

"No problem." You nodded at Connor as you placed your hand on the panel, going through the usual motions of renting an android, before Hank made a joke from afar while he bit back a chuckle by chewing on his bottom lip, "Man, I wonder what people would say about these recent purchases on your bank account." 

"Oh, don't even act like you never had a weird purchase phase in your life. Besides, this is to help solve a case, so if it helps us apprehend the deviant, then that's good enough for me." You shrugged with your own justifications thrown right back at Hank as you winked at him, knowing full well that Hank was just as much of a nerd as you were when he was your age according to his own personal accounts. This only caused Hank and Connor to smile at your jovial spirits while the older detective noticed every subtle change in mood whenever the male android was in your presence before a male Asian Traci popped out of the capsule, sculpted chest and black speedo-clad. At once, you gestured for the android to go to Connor as their hands clasped together in a glow of white, cold metal. Analyzing every last memory he could for this android, Connor played and replayed the video images as if he was fast-forwarding and rewinding a DVD before he saw the suspect again. At once, Connor let go of the male android, who stared at you and your male partners with a flirtatious smolder, before your android field partner announced, "It saw the Traci! I know where it went!"

"Lead the way, Detective." You suggested as you winked at Connor with a smile, no regrets evident in your gentle tone as you referred to him by a title other than his name, android model, or serial number. Detective...It was what Connor was designed to do. But it wasn't what you said that made him look back at you with wide eyes full of surprise and heartfelt gratitude; it was how you said it that made Connor's thirium pump beat faster around you. You always treated him with kindness and spoke to him as if he was a decent person who deserved dignity. But you also just referred to him as 'Detective,' a highly-respected position in the Detroit Police Department among HUMANS. That's why calling him that meant so much to Connor as his feelings for you only grew.

(Software Instability ^) 

As you both rounded the corner, you noticed a pole-dancing Traci, specifically one that looked like an Asian female. At once, Connor gripped hands with her as their hands changed to white again while he searched her memories before he directed you and Hank to the red room nearby. Staring at all the android capsules, Connor decided to investigate the one containing a male, African-American Traci as he pointed to the glass with his index finger. Giving him an understanding nod, you went to work on the panel before the android stepped out of the capsule, allowing Connor the chance to grip his hand and search his memories, before your male partner led you and Hank to the blue room. 

Inspecting all the capsules again, Connor decided to point at the glass container that held a female Caucasian Traci inside it before you went through the motions of unlocking it so your partner could access her memories to look for the blue-haired Traci. However, he was unable to see where the deviant had gone except out of the blue room, which seemed to confuse him as he huffed with his LED flashing yellow, "I lost the Traci. It left this room but this android didn't see anything else."

"Okay, so then we backtrack. Maybe another android in the red room saw her leave." You suggested as you grabbed your male partner's hand to keep him calm since he looked distraught at not being able to find the deviant, the blue-haired Traci, while he nodded as his LED went back to blue. Then, staring at all the capsules again, you noticed a male WG700, or custodian android, nearby. Almost upon reflex from previous missions, you tapped Connor's shoulder once with your open palm as you thumbed over towards the android before you suggested that he try getting memories from the janitor. Remarking that you had a good eye as he thanked you for your help, you and Connor exchanged a small smile with each other before your brunette comrade took the hand of the janitor. After processing the video images he saw in the fellow android's head, Connor's fire returned to his chocolate orbs as the chase resumed while he announced,   
"Follow me!" 

"One step closer. Lead on." You commanded back politely as you and Hank followed Connor through the staff door of the Eden Club. Drawing your weapon alongside Hank, you both walked forward as Connor stayed closely beside you before you all patrolled the storage room. Meticulously surveying every nook and cranny, Connor looked for any traces of disturbance or thirium but had not found anything as of yet. At the same time, you and Hank couldn't find much either as you looked at all the powered-down androids while Hank sighed deeply as he ranted on about how he viewed the current situation and the even the state of the world, "Christ, look at them. They get used till they break, then they get tossed out...People are crazy because they don't want relationships anymore. Everybody just gets an android...They cook what you want, they screw when you want, you don't have to worry about how they feel...Next thing you know, we'll be extinct, because everyone would rather buy a piece of plastic than love another human being...Beats me..." 

"It is a shame. That's why I try to treat all androids with respect because after all the crap many of them have been through, they deserve it the most. They're alive and they're people too, despite what others would like to think...But if I ever fell in love, I wouldn't care if they were android or human since I believe love is love and it shouldn't matter who you're with, so long as they make you feel good about yourself and help you grow as a person for the better." You explained back as Connor stared at you while banners of his own thoughts entered his current field of vision. Little statements such as 'Tell her the truth or you'll never get another chance,' 'She really does make me a better person,' 'Love is love, no matter who it is you fall for,' and 'She is your mission and you promised to protect her' filled his head as they all came around full circle to one idea: Connor, the RK800 android you called a field partner and best friend, LOVED you as if he was your romantic partner. He couldn't deny it anymore and he couldn't hide it since Hank had already noticed. However, he decided to wait until you were out of harm's way on this case before he said anything since he didn't want you to be compromised because of his actions. But unbeknownst to him, you loved him too in the same way he loved you. 

After investigating a trail of thirium from a WR400 Traci android as well as RA9 references written on the wall of the storage room, you, Hank, and Connor walked outside to the open garage door as rain poured down outside the building before your father figure huffed in aggravation, "We're too late!" 

"No, we can still find her. I don't see any signs that she left through the garage door, so she might still be hiding here until she thinks it's safe. That's what I would do if I were her, especially if I had killed a man in self-defense after he tried to beat me to death." You explained calmly as you tried to bring hope to the group before you and Connor decided to look at the powered-down androids again since your male partner noticed a thirium trail leading back there. 

Within seconds of looking at the lifeless androids again, the blue-haired Traci stared ahead at the wall with her LED flashing yellow while another Traci with short brown hair jumped out at Connor, grabbing him around the neck. With every squeeze against his neck, you became worried for your partner as you jumped onto the back of the Traci, pulling at her hair and scratching up her neck with your nails as you gave her a firm command in the form of a holler, "HEY, LET HIM GO!" After a few minutes of fending you off, the Traci managed to throw you off her back to the ground as you tumbled around on the tile like a roll of carpet before Connor shouted out your name, worry evident in his tone while concern lined his face and chocolate eyes upon seeing you get hurt. As you rose from the ground to your hands and knees, you quickly sprinted towards Connor so you could assist in apprehending the assailant, who was currently harming your partner with every punch, kick, and body slam she performed on him. Upon hearing the boisterous commotion, Hank tried to assist you and Connor as you both fought off the brown-haired Traci while he held up his gun from behind you three with a firm command, "DON'T MOVE!" However, the blue-haired Traci joined in the fight as she threw Hank against the wall, which caused the middle-aged man to give it his all in this brawl as he fought for his life by blocking every punch and kick that came his way. 

At the same time, you and Connor tag-teamed against the brown-haired Traci as she was pushed over a box by your partner, falling back-first as the male android jumped over the box effortlessly while you followed. However, the Traci tripped Connor with her legs as he fell forward before she grabbed your leg and pulled you on the ground, knocking you onto your back. Straddling Connor's waist, her fists came down near his chest and face as he blocked each hit before you grabbed the Traci by her hair again from your position on the ground, knocking her away from your friend as you both rolled over in a heap of flesh. Eventually, the Traci straddled your waist firmly from above, pinning you down as you struggled to get your arms free before she reached for a knife that was laying nearby, bringing it down several times as she tried to fatally strike you where you laid. Looking at your current situation as you saw that Traci stare you down with anxiety-driven malice in her eyes, you were reminded of your father and the night he was fatally stabbed by a red ice dealer while trying to protect Hank. However, you weren't going to go down without a good fight. You had too much to live for and people who wouldn't want to bury you so long. You were not going to let Hank and your mother go through the pain of losing another (Last Name) to servitude for DPD. You were not going to let your four years of college education go down the drain on your first real fight on a case. But more importantly, you weren't going to die here while the male android you grew to adore, love, respect, and admire watched. You loved Connor with every fiber of your being and you REFUSED to leave this world so soon without telling him that yourself, in person where neither missions nor other individuals, human or android, could stop you from expressing your true feelings for your android partner. Therefore, you gave this Traci a good run for her money as you managed to fend off every knife blow, nearly missing both fatal and non-fatal injuries by mere inches. On the last block, the knife was inches away from your cheek as your hands gripped the Traci's wrists, her hands clutching onto that knife with all the strength she had in her synthetic-skinned fingers. With each push she gave to get the knife closer to your face to land it into your neck, you gave a stronger shove up as you lifted the knife so it was further from your face and neck. Eventually, you got the upper hand as you shoved the Traci off you, which resulted in the blunt of the knife smacking against her nose as she clutched her face and leaned back while you managed to toss the knife aside. Watching the knife roll under a piece of metallic furniture on the other side of the room, the Traci looked down at you with hateful eyes as she literally growled at you under her breath while you death-glared her back and tried to kick her off of you. However, Fate or God would bring you a rescuer in a suit and tie as Connor pulled her off of you with a loud shout marked by the clearest diction and the firmest tone, "Leave her alone, NOW!" Throwing the Traci to the side as she rolled around on the floor, Connor ran to you as he grabbed your hand and got you back to your feet before he asked if you were okay. Just the look of fear in his chocolate orbs at almost watching you get stabbed to death just as your father had been when you were seventeen and just the overall way he came to your rescue with concern in his gestures, voice, and face, it made you feel more safe in his presence since he kept true on his word to protect you from harm. This was why you nodded with a grin and a reply of 'Yeah' right as the brunette rose to her feet. With a huff under her breath and cold eyes staring daggers at you and Connor, the brown-haired Traci stomped towards you both with both fists anchored to her sides with every clack of her ebony heels. At once, you and Connor thought fast as you both grabbed for a shelf to push it down upon your female opponent, only for her to knock it away as she continued to stomp towards you two again. However, the Traci knew that she couldn't win if she went for both of you, so she decided to target one of you and she specifically started making a bee-line for you as she grabbed a metal tray from a table, swinging the weapon forward at you in the hopes of either slicing your neck or knocking you out. 

However, you managed to successfully dodge the aggravated onslaught by leaning back with all your weight in the heels of your feet. In the meanwhile, Connor managed to step in front of you to keep you safe as he grabbed a powered-down WR400 that hung from the ceiling by a hook, shoving it towards the Traci as she fell backwards once the body collided into hers. However, the Traci was able to catch herself as she pushed the android away before you and Connor tag-teamed again to both take a swing at her. After blocking a few more blows with your forearms, the Traci reached out with both hands in a desperate attempt to grab your neck so she could cut off your air supply before Connor interposed, colliding roughly with the female android as they both went through a plastic curtain and collided down the stairs leading to the back exit of the open garage. Lying on their backs from their injuries, Connor and the Traci struggled to get up as you ran outside to help your partner. However, you were soon interrupted by the blue-haired Traci, who had knocked Hank down back inside the storage room and saw you outside in the rain running towards the brown-haired Traci and Connor. At once, her LED flashed red as she thought you had hurt her companion before she grabbed you by your ponytail as you yelped with tears forming in your eyes from the pain of her fingers digging into your scalp. Desperately, you tried to get the female android to let you go as you elbowed her stomach, causing her to wince with every painful blow before your hair tie became loose with every pull she made on your ponytail as you continued to elbow her. Feeling the tightening of her fingers loosen as your hair came undone from its usual workplace style, your tresses flying around your shoulders wildly in tangled sections as raindrops drenched each solitary strand on your head. Eventually, the Traci grabbed you by the shoulders of your leather jacket as she threw you down beside Connor before she helped her fellow Traci to her feet, giving them both a chance to escape as they took off running towards the chainlink fence, a one-way ticket to freedom away from the Eden Club. 

Holding hands as their LED's both flashed yellow, the two girls took off running as you crawled to Connor and tried to help him to his feet while Hank grabbed the two female androids. With a sharp shove, Hank stumbled back as he collided with the wall of the building with a sharp thud while the two Tracis sprinted down the pavement, desperately pushing their bodies to make it over that fence as they started to climb the metal barrier. With a struggle to get to his feet, Hank looked to you and Connor once you managed to get your android partner up off the ground before he screamed, "QUICK! THEY'RE GETTING AWAY!" Without even a moment's hesitation, you and Connor sprinted after the girls as your partner grabbed the blue-haired Traci while the brown-haired Traci leapt off the fence in order to save her companion. Since you saw her gunning for Connor, you immediately leapt in front of your partner as you took a high-heeled kick to the stomach for him before you were knocked down on the ground with a rough shove to your shoulders. 

Gripping your sore abdomen while you crawled to your feet again, you could literally feel it bruising from the inside-out as your scalp burned with every throb caused by the tugging that the blue-haired Traci gave you as you witnessed Connor fending off both Tracis with both arms and legs. However, with one last kick to the brown-haired Traci's abdomen, Connor stumbled backwards into the blue-haired Traci as they both fell near each other in a heap before your partner was smacked in the face with a trashcan by the brown-haired Traci, causing him to roll backward with an unpleasant craning of his neck and spine. Upon looking down once he collected himself, Connor noticed Hank's fallen handgun as he quickly grabbed it and aimed at the brown-haired Traci. Within seconds, a decision had to be made. Pull the trigger or not pull the trigger. The brown-haired Traci was coming straight at him with the intent to harm and if he shot her, it would be justified self-defense. 

However, Connor's finger never pressed down on that trigger as he even went so far as to lower that gun before he was kicked in the chest by the brown-haired Traci, knocking him back again as he looked at the female android in fear before you leapt in front of your partner. Holding an empty hand out in self-defense, you stared down both the blue-haired Traci and her brown-haired counterpart before you elaborated with your (Eye Color) orbs never losing contact with the two deviants, tone firm and diction clear, "Don't you touch him! You want my partner, you go through me! I won't let you hurt him because I refuse to lose him!" 

"(Name)..." Connor breathed out with widened chocolate irises as his chest heaved with every harsh inhale and exhale while he pulled himself from a sitting position to a stand. At once, the two Tracis noticed your determined gaze, the erratic heartbeat caused by fear for Connor's life and physical exercise from the fight, and your high stress levels. They could also notice the subtle glassiness in your eyes as they both managed to telepathically connect themselves to Connor's mind, allowing them to see his memories of you from the first day you met to right now. At once, everything made sense to them as to why you wished to keep him safe from them but also why he would risk life and limb to make sure you were unharmed during this brawl. They also learned about your father and your relationship to Hank based on what Connor knew about you, making them see you in a different light as they recognized that you were a well-established sergeant at DPD who was kind to everyone, human or android, and who hunted deviants not because you hated them (which they recognized you actually had a soft spot for androids, especially deviants who killed their sadistic abusers in self-defense) but because it was strictly your job to apprehend anyone who violated the law. 

At once, the brown-haired Traci leaned close to her blue-haired counterpart as she reached out to hold her hand again, smiling subtly at the very presence of contact, before she whispered loud enough for everyone to hear her, "That android spared me and that young woman saved his life. I saw what she did for him; she would literally take a bullet or knife for this android detective...They're just like us. Protective, caring...She didn't mean me any harm. She was just keeping him safe." 

"I know because I saw everything...Especially what this RK800 knows about her." The blue-haired Traci whispered back so everyone could hear her too while you and Connor mulled over their words before the male detective connected the dots, noticing the mental link he shared with the two Tracis as he muttered under his breath with wide eyes as he looked down at the ground, "They linked their thoughts to mine...They can read my mind." Gazing at Connor with warm eyes at his statement and that of the Tracis, you felt his warm, comforting presence beside you as he stood mere inches from you before the blue-haired Traci laid all her cards out on the table so you could better understand her and why she did what she did tonight, "When that man broke the other Traci, I knew I was next. I was so scared...I begged him to stop, but he wouldn't...And so, I put my hands around his throat, and I squeezed until he stopped moving. I didn't mean to kill him...I just wanted to stay alive, get back to the one I love. I wanted her to hold me in her arms again, make me forget about the humans...Their smell of sweat and their dirty words..."

"You and that other Traci didn't deserve any of that, any of this. I'm glad you at least made it out alive because you two deserve each other. I'm sorry for punching your significant other back there; I was just protecting my partner." You replied with a warm grin as you apologized before the brown-haired Traci shook her head solemnly as she apologized too, "I'm sorry too, for nearly killing you and injuring your partner. You didn't deserve it either." 

With a dropped jaw and baby blues gazing at the tender scene before him, Hank actually started to feel compassion for these two female androids as well as Connor while he watched how gentle you were with all three of them before the blue-haired Traci made one last mental link with Connor, letting her true thoughts be known through telepathic communication as her gaze towards him never faltered in their resolve to meet his chocolate irises, 'I know you feel love for her, even if you don't want to admit it. But if you don't, then you'll never get another chance. I nearly didn't get to see my beloved again, so you need to tell her. The worst she can say is no, but if she says yes, you won't regret it. Trust me, you'll be glad you told her the truth. She deserves to know because you deserve each other.' 

With wide eyes and a subtle gasp escaping his lips, Connor's gaze never broke from the blue-haired Traci's eye level as his thoughts wandered back to the same cycle of thinking about his secretly-harbored love for you. 

(Software Instability ^^^^^^^^^^^)

At the same time, you thought about the brown-haired Traci's words as you internalized everything in your head, retreating inside yourself to find the answers your heart and mind desired. Standing there in front of the Tracis beside Connor and Hank as you over-analyzed her statements, you could only come to the conclusion that she deemed you and Connor protective and caring of each other, on and off the job based on the memories that the male detective had of you. This only made you feel more love for your male android partner as you gazed at him with gentle eyes and a subtle grin, which was definitely noticed by everyone, even Hank, unbeknownst to you. Then, giving Connor the most subtle smile, the brunette Traci looked to her blue-haired beloved before she replied, "Come on, let's go." With that, the two female androids hopped the chainlink fence and escaped into the cold, snowy night in Detroit while you, Connor, and Hank stared at the two women in awe. 

After a few moments, you and Connor stared at each other with glances of brown and (Eye Color) that displayed nothing but understanding of each other even when forbidden yet deep-rooted, hidden love was present in the air around the both of you. The tense nature of your love was so obvious that even Hank, someone who didn't really care for androids too much, could notice, and it killed him to see that both of you were unwilling to admit it out of fear of losing the other person or being harassed for having certain feelings and thoughts. Hank wanted you to be happy, he really did. Ever since your father died, he took on the father figure role and did a very good job in his own special way. He watched you grow as a college student learning about the psychology and sociology of humans and androids alike. He watched you blossom into a beautiful, intelligent, altruistic young woman until you became a famous sergeant at Detroit Police Station, best known for solving cases involving deviants. After all the trials and tribulations you had been through, you deserved a life companion who understood you the best. And in all the time he knew Connor, Hank sensed that all his male partner wanted was his own life companion, and if that meant being romantically-involved with you...Well, if Connor made you happy, then Hank wouldn't be the one to stop you two. It was as you said: Love was love, no matter who was involved in the pairing. Whether that meant two humans, two androids, or even an android and a human, it didn't make a difference. Sure, androids weren't supposed to feel anything for anybody or anything, but then again, Hank had seen many instances where that wasn't the case. This only caused his sympathy to increase for the plight of androids all across Detroit as he even grew a soft spot for one male detective android in particular, all thanks to you never changing your beliefs or actions towards androids, especially deviants who fought back against their abusers. 

This was why Hank decided to let the suspect deviants go as he shrugged before he walked away with one last sentence directed at you and Connor, "It's probably better this way." With two pairs of eyes staring Hank down as he sauntered back inside the Eden Club, you and Connor exchanged another understanding glance again before you grinned at him with gentle eyes and an even gentle tone as you replied, "Thanks for watching out for me back there. I wouldn't have made it out alive had you not been there." 

"You're welcome. I should also thank you for looking out for me too. You didn't have to do that because you could've been killed. I was scared I was gonna lose you again, but...I still appreciated your help tonight." Connor grinned back before you shook your head, "No, I did have to do it. I wasn't about to lose my partner." Then, with a soft sigh, you collected yourself as your breath came out shaky from the wince you tried to hide from your partner to avoid worrying him, even if his internal scanners could pick up on your bruised abdomen and your cool-headed composure, before you suggested, "Let's get outta here and then go back to my home. We've had a long night and we both deserve a good rest." 

"Yes, Sergeant." Connor nodded back with a smile as you both wandered back inside the building, catching the last bit of Hank's conversation with fellow officer Ben as he came up with the excuse that the deviants escaped without a trace, before you and your male partners went back out to Hank's car. Buckling into your seats as Knights of the Black Death blared in the background, Hank placed the key in the ignition and turned it sideways as the engine roared hard enough to shake the entire vehicle before your father figure backed out of the parking lot. With his car perfectly aligned with the road, Hank pulled out into traffic as he took a route all too familiar to you and him while Connor gazed at all the pretty scenery surrounding him from his place in the car's passenger seat. But as you gazed at each other every so often out of the corner of your eyes, the events of this night went around and around in your memories as you knew you and Connor would never forget this case. It held a special place in your heads because of what transpired but also because the love you both kept hidden from each other grew with every second. However, Connor's mental link with the blue-haired Traci was permanently burned into his mind palace as he took her words at face value without hesitation or question because she was absolutely right. You DID deserve to know the truth about his growing feelings for you and you DID deserve love. And if that meant being with him, an android, provided that you actually loved him back, then this would only solidify his resolve to be vulnerable and honest with you as he decided to tell you the truth when you both were alone. Was love scary? Of course! Love was like uncharted territory that was quite mysterious upon first glance but that became such a treasured thing the more it was investigated. Was Connor afraid? Most definitely. He never wanted to lose you because of a deviant attack or because of a love confession that would change the dynamic of your current relationship. But did he love you for you with all he had and all he was? Without question. You were his mission and he vowed to protect you. He did that many times and would continue to do so for as long as he was able. But in order to better protect you and keep you happy, Connor needed to get his feelings for you off his chest so such a heavy burden could be lifted and he could finally live life, knowing how you felt about him too. These thoughts and pre-meditated plans actually gave Connor some peace of mind as he relaxed during the car ride, resting his back against the seat so he appeared more human while you and Hank watched him, smiling subtly at the male android due to his actions. As the car sped down the highway towards another public place, you and Connor gripped hands and gave each other a reassuring squeeze as you both smiled at each other while Hank chuckled under his breath for not even half a second, wondering what kind of couple you and Connor would be if you actually confessed your feelings for each other without fear of what others thought. With such a tender scene in that car, the snow cascading around Detroit as it layered everything in a cold yet beautiful blanket of white, you, Hank, and Connor enjoyed your nighttime car ride together as a makeshift family.


	16. DBH Connor/RK800 X Fem! Reader - A Bridge Between Android & Human (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Here's another oneshot for DBH Connor (RK800) and the DPD sergeant he fell in love with, you. This chapter will correspond to The Bridge section of the game, so I'll provide a YouTube link below to the original canon content. Please enjoy :)
> 
> Link = https://youtu.be/ILM4LMuEgJU

Pulling into a local park after stopping at a local store to get a six-pack of beer, Hank exited the car and found an empty park bench to sit on while you and Connor waited in the warmth of the vehicle. Still holding hands with gentle eyes and warm grins directed at each other, the familiar sound of Knights of the Black Death blared through the speakers, vibrating the vehicle with every pound of the drums, riff of the guitars, and screams of the lead singer. Contemplating all that happened at the Eden Club, you and Connor sat in silence in the car as both of you watched Hank, who was throwing back beer as if he was consuming water or air, before you looked back to each other. 

At once, Connor did an internal scan of your body upon noticing your visible wince and the way you touched your abdomen ever so delicately with your fingers before he asked, "Are you alright, (Name)?"

"That Brown-haired Traci did a number on me back there. She just kicked me with her high heels in the abdomen when you grabbed the blue-haired Traci off that fence." You explained as you spoke through gritted teeth while your dominant hand clutched your hip and your free hand brushed against your sore abdomen while your male partner turned around in his seat. With concerned chocolate irises and an equally-worried expression, Connor's reaction was as genuine as an honest human's as he asked you again, "Are you sure you're okay, Sergeant? I can take you to a doctor if you need one." 

"Oh, no, I'm fine and I'm not just saying that so you and Hank won't worry about me...The worst she probably did was bruise my abdomen, but hey, that's police work for you. Anytime you encounter criminals, there's always a chance of injury or death on the job because of a fight, but I knew this going into the detective business." You shrugged with a small chuckle exiting your lips as you laughed through the painful soreness in your abdomen and brushed off Connor's offer to take you to the doctor before you elaborated more on the topic of your injury so that you could make it clear that you weren't severely incapacitated, "Believe me, I've had worse injuries from falling off monkey bars and couches as a kid, so this is nothing. I'll just put some ice on it and take some aspirin when I get home. But I appreciate you asking me if I'm okay, so thanks."

"You're welcome, Sergeant. I noticed on my scanners that there was a bruise there too, but I just wanted to make sure you were okay since I don't like to see you get hurt." Connor responded with a soft smile filled with nothing but admiration, respect, and love for you before you exchanged a similar smile back while concern also laced your every word and facial expression in regards to your partner, "Well, I still appreciate you doing that, so thanks again. What about you, Connor? Are you okay? Those Tracis didn't hurt you, did they?" 

"No, I'm okay. Androids don't feel pain." 

"Well, I also wanted to make sure you were okay since you took an even worse beating than I did. Plus, I don't like seeing you get hurt either." You admitted as you pat Connor's shoulder, causing the male android to grab your hand so he could rub his fingers across the warm flesh that cradled his jacket perfectly. After exchanging another smile with each other, you and Connor both pulled away from one another before you made a smart suggestion on your next course of action together, "I'm gonna go check on Hank. You wanna come with?" 

Giving a small nod to you, Connor followed you out of the car as you grabbed the keys from the ignition and locked it up so no one could steal it before you both walked down the sidewalk together. With snow fluttering down from the sky to coat your hair, clothes, and eyelashes like powdered sugar on desserts, you and Connor eventually got close enough to Hank so that he acknowledge your presence with a nod. Then, clinking his beer bottle up to the open air as if to engage in a moment of saying cheers, Hank took a big swig from the brown glass container before he stared out into the distance. From here, the city of Detroit looked so small and beautiful at night, especially with all the street lights outside shining and the snow creating a perfect backdrop of white to better contrast and display the colorful lights. But tonight, the lights and snow looked even more beautiful than they had on any other night you and Hank, even Cole and your father, witnessed them outside. Taking note of the scenery from his sitting position on the bench, Hank grinned warmly at you and Connor before he asked you, "Nice view, huh? I used to come here a lot before..." 

"Before what?" Connor asked with a concerned, perplexed expression with wide brown eyes and an open mouth as Hank looked up at his android partner with perked eyebrows and a tilted head like a puppy, "Hmm?"

"You said 'I used to come here a lot before.' Before what?" Connor reiterated before Hank shrugged, "Before...nothin." After a slight pause to give himself time to think, Connor crossed his arms over his chest as if he were a warm-blooded human shivering from the cold of Detroit's frosty winter before he walked closer to Hank so he was face-to-face with the man, "Can I ask you a personal question, Lieutenant?"

"Do all androids ask personal questions or is it just you?" Hank questioned back before he shrugged again, almost as if he insinuated that he would be cordial and respect Connor's right to learn more about him, before the male android remarked, "I saw a photo of a child on your kitchen table...It was your son, right?"

"Yeah, his name was Cole." Hank nodded with downcast baby blues, tender eyes full of so much pain as his physical body tensed under the gentle hand you placed on your father figure's upper back to comfort him. Knowing that Hank was telling the truth based on his physiological reactions to the question, it only made Connor feel worse for even asking, despite the fact that it confirmed his suspicions of the older detective having a son that he lost in a car accident, leading to the birth of his growing hatred for androids. It was even obvious to you that Connor felt guilty for asking such a personal question as he stared off into the distance, chocolate irises wide and glassy as his jaw dropped open while he breathed harder. To you, it looked like Connor were gasping in shock with the inclination to hold back forming tears at the very thought of a man as wonderful as Lieutenant Anderson losing his beloved son when he was so innocent and so young, when he had barely had a taste of the world and all its wonders but also never got the chance to make a difference in it like he always dreamed he wanted to do. Just seeing your male partner that vulnerable, especially since he was an android, it only made your heart feel more love for him as you noticed the human side of him come out whenever he was in you and Hank's presence. 

However, Connor soon took a deep breath through his nose after feeling you grip his hand with a gentle squeeze to ground him in reality again, resulting in the most subtle of warm grins exchanged between you both, before Connor walked to the railing overlooking the beautiful view while he sighed deeply in frustration, "We're not making any progress on this investigation..." Crossing his arms over his lean chest again, Connor looked to you and Hank for answers as he recounted all that he knew to you both, "The deviants have nothing in common...They're all different models produced at different times in different places."

"Well, there must be some link." Hank shrugged as he took another swig of beer, finishing off his current bottle, before you chimed in with your own observations in regards to the deviant cases you, Hank, and Connor were assigned to, "All five of the deviants I encountered in previous cases were abused by their owners and either killed or severely wounded them in self-defense. Those mirror the ones we have tried to solve now." 

"What they also have in common is this obsession with RA9." Connor gasped as an epiphany of the most important clue he discovered alongside you both came to his mind before you nodded in agreement, "My five suspects also had that obsession too." 

"RA9...It's almost like some kind of myth, something they invented that wasn't part of their original program." Connor elaborated as he tried to explain what RA9 was by analyzing the different meanings it held to the different deviants before Hank scoffed with a low chuckle under his breath and perked eyebrows, causing Connor to turn around to him with his arms still over his chest as his own eyes perked up and his teeth bit his bottom lip, "Androids believing in God...What's this world coming to?" 

"You seem preoccupied, Lieutenant. Is it something to do with what happened back at the Eden Club?" Connor questioned his superior as you looked at your android partner, then at Hank, then back to Connor before the older detective gasped, "Those two girls...They just wanted to be together; they really seemed in love."

"They can simulate human emotions, but they're machines and machines don't feel anything." 

"What about you, Connor? You look human, you sound human, but what are you really?" Hank taunted as he got up from the bench with a sour expression behind stoic eyes that were as cold as sapphire ice and a posture of his shoulders and tall frame that signified growing dominance. At the same time, Connor stood his ground with his posture straight and his shoulders broad, his brown eyes never diverting from Hank's blue gaze, while he fired back with every ounce of cool collectedness in his tone, "I'm whatever you want me to be, Lieutenant. Your partner, your buddy to drink with, or just a machine designed to accomplish a task."

"You could've shot those two girls but you didn't. Why didn't you shoot, Connor? Hmm? Some scruples suddenly enter into your program?" Hank taunted again with his volume rising on every sentence that came out of his mouth before Connor started to show a facial expression that signaled to you that he was scared and confused. Literally, you never thought you'd see this in a million years, however, Connor actually shivered not from the cold but from fear as you pleaded with your father figure with a motherly firmness in your tone while your posture also straightened up to show that you weren't playing around when it came to seeing Connor get hurt, "Hank, that's enough. You're scaring Connor." 

"N-No...I just decided not to shoot, that's all." Connor stuttered out as he shivered again, staring at you and Hank with such a look in his eyes that it appeared as though he had seen a ghost. Without a shadow of a doubt, it frightened you to see him like that since Connor looked so vulnerable and in need of your swift protection again before Hank pulled out his handgun on your partner. At once, you leapt forward in case you needed to block the shot to prevent injury or death from being the fate of Connor as you held up your hands in defense, wondering why in the world Hank was doing this as you pleaded again, "Hank, what are you doing? Put the gun down. Please...don't hurt him." 

"Trust me, I know what I'm doing, (Name)..." Hank responded as he aimed the gun right at Connor's forehead. For a couple days now since Connor joined DPD in order to solve cases involving deviants, Hank noticed a change in you, his daughter figure and field partner since you graduated college and the police academy, but also a change in the male android that acted as his partner. If you both were in love, Hank couldn't stop that. You three couldn't stop the Tracis from being in love and on the run as deviants, so why would he take love away from you both if you found it in each other? However, Hank just couldn't stand seeing you two keep your love a secret, so he decided to put Connor to a test. Oh yes, he wanted to see if this android was really as human as he appeared to be in your presence and if this android really did care for you. Hank also wanted to make sure that Connor was worthy enough to be a lifelong companion and romantic partner, a good man for you. You needed stability and security in your life since you had so much to lose, being a DPD detective and all. You already lost your father and your little brother figure, Cole. At the tender age of seventeen, you soon learned what true pain felt like and how it felt to lose someone you loved. Therefore, Hank decided to see if Connor could give you what you darn well deserved as he asked the male android, "But are you afraid to die, Connor?"

"I would certainly find it regrettable to be...interrupted...before I can finish this investigation." Connor answered matter-of-factly as his voice stumbled every so often while his eyes never broke contact with you. At the same time, you visibly shook from fear of losing your partner as you stared at Hank, your (Eye Color) orbs pleading with him to abandon this course as tears formed in both of your bottom eyelids while the Detroit winter zephyrs blew your (Hair Color) tresses wildly around your visage. Connor quickly took note of this as his internal scanners saw your stress levels rising to 75% at the drop of a hat and your heart hammer against your chest, which signified to him that you were on the brink of crying or having a panic attack. However, he knew he was in a position where he couldn't move since Hank held a gun to his head, and he feared that if he made one wrong move, it would be the end for him and it would break your heart. He didn't want to see you hurt and he knew he had to keep his promise; he had to stay alive. Therefore, Connor only kept his chocolate eyes trained on you as if he were standing beside you, squeezing your hand to ground you into a calm reality. This seemed to pacify your anxiety slightly as your stress levels dropped down to 60% before Connor continued to explain to Hank why he was afraid of dying right there on that bridge in front of you, "I also made (Name) a vow right before the Eden Club mission, when I found her crying in her house and frantically searching for me after she couldn't get you to answer your phone...She had a nightmare that we both died and was scared that she had lost us. She nearly had a panic attack at your house too when she saw Cole's photograph and saw you passed out drunk on the floor with the gun laying beside you."

These truthful facts seemed to stun Hank as he faltered behind the aim of his handgun. Looking over to you to confirm his suspicions, Hank noticed the way you tried to hide your emotions only to fail as your eyes diverted to the ground with such a flash of pain in them that it broke the older detective's heart to see you like that. Having known you since you were in diapers, Hank knew that you always looked down whenever you were upset to the point of being troubled about something because you didn't want to meet the gaze of judgmental eyes. Just even the thought of him being so drunk that he left you hanging when you needed him the most, it killed Hank inside because he never intended for his personal problems to be taken out on you. You lost Cole too and you were Hank's rock, helping guide him through the pain. But in comforting Hank, you neglected yourself and your own pain, which led to you breaking down in front of Connor. Overall, Hank could see the turmoil in your eyes and face as he watched Connor's every move, taking note of each human emotion and gesture he did as he visibly shook with the handgun still in his face. With each far-off stare directed at you so lovingly, Hank figured out that all Connor wanted so desperately to do right now was walk right over to you and give you a big hug. It was so obvious that this tension of forbidden love was in the air that Hank could see this android had feelings for you, and he didn't even like androids nor did he think they could ever be human. However, his theories were proven false by Connor's every reaction before the next words that came out of your partner's mouth brought forth a genuine reaction from Hank, "I told her that I would prevent harm to her for as long as I was alive as her partner. But I also promised to prevent our deaths even though I know injury in this line of work is statistically inevitable...I just don't like to ever see her get hurt." 

At once, Hank stared down at you as he watched your reaction to Connor's words, two solitary tears leaking down your cheeks, one droplet from each eye, as they crashed to the pavement below. With a small nod that you exchanged with your partner, Connor gave a subtle nod back to you as Hank could do nothing but watch and analyze the reactions you two gave each other. There it was, the confirmation that Connor was now telling the truth. Your tears were heartfelt and genuine since Hank knew you weren't a big crier, and they threw away any doubts he had in regards to you and Connor. You only cried AFTER Connor told Hank about the promise he made to you when you had that panic attack before the Eden Club case, so it only made sense that Hank connected the dots, slowly figuring out that that promise made you feel special because an android gave his word with such sincerity and deep-rooted respect for you. To also note that Connor had defended you from danger multiple times in the past during cases and had even saved you and Hank's life during the case with the deviant who took care of pigeons, it only made Hank see how real Connor's feelings were towards you as he could definitely see nothing but compassion expressed in eyes of (Eye Color) and eyes of brown. 

However, Hank still had to know what Connor would think if he were faced with the possibility of dying. After all, people often did crazy things when they were in love, but the crazy things always seemed to amplify when faced with death. In extreme situations, humans and even some androids seemed to always be predictable in regards to how they coped with the inevitable fate of mortality. Confessions that were not normally expressed when everything was calm and the tying up of loose ends with loved ones were very prevalent when Death stared a person in the face, so Hank had to know the truth. If he threatened to pull that trigger, would Connor be scared to lose you? Would his feelings for you go away at the drop of a hat because he was some unfeeling android and not serious about being in love with you? Or, would Connor be firm in his resolve to stay alive for you and keep his promise to never hurt you, in spite of his android status? The answer to Hank's second and final test question would solidify his next course of action. 

With a sharp click of the safety on the handgun, Hank kept the gun aimed at Connor as he asked the android, "So what will happen if I pull this trigger? Hmm? Nothing? Oblivion? Android Heaven?" 

"Nothing...There would be nothing." Connor answered solemnly with his head shaking back and forth to confirm a negative answer while his eyes widened in fear. Pausing for a moment, Connor looked to you again as his eyes held a startled expression with your own frightened eyes before Hank asked him, "How do I know you really do care about (Name) and you're not just using her as a means to complete your missions with? How do I know you're serious about your partnership with her?" 

"Hank...I've never felt anything for anyone before, but when I saw her...I felt human and I felt for her...I don't know when, how, or why I felt what I did, but I have never once regretted feeling strongly for her." Connor explained before he continued in his speech, "I don't want to ever lose her and I know (Name) doesn't want to lose me or you. She's already lost too much and I don't know if her heart could bear another loss. Even just the thought of her getting hurt by possibly losing us kills me inside. All I want to do is protect her because she is my new mission. I don't care what CyberLife or RA9 or even you think...She IS my mission and I always accomplish my missions." 

"Connor..." You gasped lightly under your breath as two more tears streamed down your cheeks before you nodded at his statement. For an android who was good at lying to suspects by keeping his LED blue to avoid suspicion, Connor was never good at lying at you and Hank, two fellow detectives and partners of his that he deemed worthy of his respect and admiration. Ever since he was created in August 2038, no one ever asked Connor what he really wanted in life, except for you. No one ever validated his feelings or opinions as being his own, unique displays of intelligence and critical analysis, except for you. No one ever caused him to be afraid to die or be afraid to lose someone before, except when you first came into his life. And no one had ever put themselves in harm's way to protect him, until you became his partner. That was when Connor heard the blue-haired Traci's telepathic message in his head, repeating that he wouldn't regret telling you to truth in regards to his feelings for you since he might never get another chance. Thinking back on it now as an outsider looking in, he realized she was right. He didn't regret telling you and he was actually glad he did because if he had to die tonight, at least he got the chance to see you one last time and confess his love for you. 

It was just as Hank theorized from the moment he noticed the change in you and Connor. Through your flirtatious interactions on and off the job as well as the way you treated each other with dignified respect, even the way you kept each other safe and grounded by holding each other's hands whenever the other was troubled, it was quite obvious what was going on. You loved Connor and Connor loved you. Parsimony and Ockam's Razor couldn't explain those facts any simpler than that. But more importantly, Hank had gotten the answer he hoped Connor would be man enough to say when he was placed in a life-or-death scenario with no way out. The android actually confessed his feelings for you and meant every word. No deception or smoke and mirrors, just pure, unadulterated truth. Your shocked expression followed by a sigh of relief with a sad smile only added to Hank's satisfaction with the answer that Connor gave as the older detective analyzed every sentence that his male partner spoke. Upon comprehending it all, Hank determined that Connor was honest, especially after using his first name rather than his respected title of 'Lieutenant,' which the male android had never done in all the time Connor knew Hank until this very moment. That had to count for something. 

After a few moments of watching the tense confrontation between Hank and Connor, you stepped forward like a buffer between the two men as you begged for your father figure to stop what he was doing, your eyes trying to get into the very depths of his soul to plead your case for Connor, as your voice shook with every word, "Hank, please...Let him go; he did nothing wrong...Like Connor made a vow to keep me from harm, I vow to keep him safe because I don't want to see him get hurt either."

"And why would that be?" Hank asked you matter-of-factly as he continued in his resolve to get you to confess your true feelings too since the possibility of Connor's death was still prevalent statistically speaking before you nodded with no regrets in your next sentence, "Because...Screw it! I don't care what anyone thinks either. I may be a human and he may be an android, but gosh darn it! I LOVE HIM!" Now it was Connor's turn to stare at you in surprise with perked eyebrows and widened chocolate irises, jaw dropped and his LED flashing yellow as he processed what you just said. Scanning your internal body only to find nothing but a steady heartbeat and no loss of eye contact between you and him, Connor knew you were telling the truth. This only made his feelings for you turn into something so real as he couldn't believe his eyes and ears, making him truly become human. Statistically and logically, he didn't think it would ever be possible for an android to feel human emotions or for an android and human to fall in love. But statistics always taught you and him that even a 1-5% chance of rare events was possible under certain conditions, which only made this moment more special for you and Connor since you both fell into that category of being rare. 

In that tender moment, with that gun still pressed near Connor's forehead and your heart still racing out of fear of losing your beloved partner, Hank's mind raced back and forth with many intrusive ideas until they circled back around to one main idea that was the crux of it all: Connor was right. You had lost too much and still had too much to lose. If Hank killed Connor, he knew you would never forgive him for destroying the one you loved. And if it was one thing that Hank knew, it was that he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if you got hurt, and if he was the one who hurt you because of some ideology rooted in bitter anger, he knew he definitely wouldn't forgive himself. He would rather lose a limb or his own life than ever cause you pain. He had already lost your father and his son, and he wasn't about to lose you too. 

Therefore, Hank dropped the handgun with a sigh, knowing he got the confessions he wanted to get out in the open on part of you and Connor without having to murder in cold blood. In the end, he knew he was never going to pull that trigger because he really did develop a soft spot for Connor, but he knew he had to make the moment seem as real as possible in order to illicit a genuine response untainted by pre-meditated preparation. While you and Connor never knew he wasn't going to pull that trigger or even commit a threat that heinous, Hank knew that he felt absolutely terrible for hurting you and nearly making you have a panic attack in that park. But he never regretted his actions since it confirmed his belief that Connor acted exactly like a human and that you both loved each other. At the same time, you fluttered your eyes shut, two more tears streaming down your cheeks, before you looked up at Connor, who was as equally shocked as you were. With glassy eyes gazing at each other with such love and gratitude that Hank had not gone through with his drunken actions, you and Connor both sighed in relief as quietly as possible, albeit it was a shaky breath for both of you that was noticed by the older detective. With a nod as he picked up his six-pack of beer and walked away, Hank shoved the handgun back in his holster before Connor asked him, "Where are you going?"

"To get drunker. I need to think." Hank shouted over his shoulder as he brushed Connor off before he turned back around to you and asked with the kindest eyes and the most gentle tone, "(Name), it's getting late. I can give you a ride to your house if you need one, you know, just to make sure you're safe." 

Still in shock over what just happened, you tried to desperately to keep calm before you registered Hank's question in your head. Going home after a long day sounded very tempting as you started to say yes. However, you had just witnessed Hank nearly shoot your partner and you and Connor had confessed your love to each other. That completely changed the dynamic of your current relationship as platonic friends and that fact could not be swept under a rug. It needed to be dealt with immediately in a one-on-one chat with Connor. Therefore, you politely declined Hank's offer with a shake of your head as you told him, "I think I'll stay here with Connor for a bit." 

"I'll make sure she gets home safely, Lieutenant." Connor called out to Hank before he nodded with a small grin at the two of you before he walked back to you, offering you money for a cab since you had used your own bank account to assist Connor on the Eden Club case. After all, it was the least he could do for you after he nearly shot your beloved partner, not that he would ever admit his drunken melodrama was all an attempt to see if Connor was human enough and worthy enough to be your life companion but to also get you to admit you loved the android more than you pretended to. You tried to refuse the money kindly twice as Hank tried to wire it into your account by typing his information into his phone before his third plea to take the cash made you comply. Accepting your father figure's help, you took the money as you thanked him before Hank gave you a reply of 'No problem' and a 'Take care of yourself, kiddo' before you remarked that you would. With one final hug for the night, Hank apologized for nearly shooting Connor and even apologized for not answering his phone when you needed him most, blaming himself for being unaware that you had relapsed with your intrusive memories of the past and fears of losing him. However, you quickly silenced Hank with your gentle tone as you remarked that Connor took good care of you in Hank's absence and that he knew everything there was to know because you trusted him. This only made Hank feel more secure in the fact that an android who acted human and had feelings for you was serious in his life's mission to keep you safe and happy. With one last squeeze during your embrace, Hank pulled away from you to place a gentle kiss onto your forehead as you smiled at the gesture before the older detective walked down the snowy sidewalk to enter his vehicle. 

Turning the key in the ignition as he twisted the knob on the radio, Hank made sure Knights of the Black Death was blaring in his ears as he reclined in his driver's seat, keeping careful watch over you and Connor as you both just stood still. Just when Hank was about ready to drive off after minutes of seeing no activity, no indication that what you had confessed to each other was real, there it was. Making the first move, you stepped forward as you slowly made your way to Connor before you managed to stand in front of him. With a shivering frame and wide eyes marked by evidence of flowing tears, you reached out to Connor as you gripped his hand, feeling the familiar pressure of a squeeze upon your flesh, before Connor gazed down at you. Eyes of brown and eyes of (Eye Color) never lost contact as you and Connor gazed lovingly at each other before you enveloped the man in your arms, tangling your fingers in his hair to make sure he was real. With a startled expression as he felt your warmth in front of him, Connor stood there catatonic as both of his hands remained planted by his waist while his jaw dropped, his eyes widened, and his face contorted into a mixture of fear, relief, and confusion. At the same time, his LED flashed from blue to yellow the moment you hugged him with tears in your eyes, a few minutes passing before the yellow switched to red. Connor tried to process it all. The love he felt for you, Hank nearly trying to kill him, the deviants that he didn't catch, Amanda constantly being angry with him, all of it was very overwhelming for this poor android as he tried to keep his emotions in check. However, around you, he was allowed to express himself because you wanted him to feel that his emotions were justified and valid but you also didn't want him to conceal what he really thought, believed, or felt. Therefore, Connor began to calm down in your arms as his LED switched back to blue and he enveloped you in his own embrace, tightening his arms around your body as much as he could in the hopes that if he did so, he would never have to think of losing you ever again. Smiling with tears still forming in your eyes upon sensing  presence of Connor hugging you back, you looked to the brunette for answers as you interrogated him, "All those things you told Hank, did you mean them?"

"Yes, I meant them, every word. That's why I made you that promise." Connor remarked before he asked you a similar question, "And you? Did you mean what you said too?"

"I can't deny it or lie about it. I do love you, whether you see me that way or not." You explained yourself as you felt Connor's fingers brushing through your tresses comfortingly before he nodded at the pleasant sensation of your soft hair in his fingers but also at his next confession to you, "Well, fortunately for you, I do love you too." 

"You do?" You asked as you pulled away from the man, causing both of you to grin at each other with glassy eyes as you started to chuckle before you felt Connor's hand on your cheek. Rubbing his slender thumb across your smooth skin to remove it of tears but also to know what it would be like to feel your beautiful face in his fingers again, you reciprocated the gesture as you cradled Connor's opposite cheek in your free hand. Gently tracing each contour and freckle of his facial skin, you smiled at Connor as he smiled back at you. With snow falling around you both and the scenery of Detroit creating a pleasant ambiance of light and sound in the background, you and Connor looked absolutely perfect together as the rest of the world was shut out. For now, you didn't have to worry about deviants or worries or missions. Now, you and Connor could finally focus on each other as you savored each other's company, remarking that you were glad the other was safe and alive with gentle smiles and soft hugs exchanged between the two of you. 

In the meanwhile, Hank managed to catch every moment of that scene with his own two eyes as he chuckled with a fatherly grin. Managing to see everything from the window that he rolled down on the driver's side, Hank chuckled again as he shook his head before he monologued to himself, "A bridge between androids and humans, all through my daughter figure and field partner...Looks like my work here is done." With that, Hank finally left the park as you and Connor noticed his car rolling away. Keeping watch over the car as it exited the park and went back out into the busy streets of Detroit, you and Connor both waited for a moment to make sure Hank was truly gone before you both stared at each other. Blushes of ruby and sapphire upon freezing cheeks, you and Connor were obviously bashful at the new stepping stone of your current relationship before the male android asked you, "So we're-you and I are...?"

"Lovers? Yes, we are, and I certainly don't regret it." You joked as Connor laughed at your words with the boisterous and innocent qualities of a child before you continued, "You know, I've never dated anyone properly before, especially not an android." 

"I've never dated anyone either, especially a human. But this is kind of nice." Connor replied with a grin before you nodded in agreement to his statements just as the male android thought of a new question to ask you, "Sergeant?"

"Yes, Connor?"

"May I speak with you while we're alone together? I'm curious about a few things but I also have something else I want to tell you." Connor asked for permission before you nodded with a gentle smile as you chuckled and sat down on the bench that Hank had used moments prior, "Sure. Please, have a seat and make yourself comfortable." Patting the empty space beside you on the bench, you watched as Connor sat down beside you and visibly relaxed, resting his body against yours in an act that signified that he trusted you as his new companion. As warm flesh and cold metal clasped together in a tight squeeze, you and Connor leaned closer to each other as you watched the snow and scenery of Detroit come to life in the distance. With the pleasant glow of blue from Connor's LED lighting up your face in the darkness, you found yourself smiling at Connor again as he smiled back at you, both of you enjoying the cold night and the new status you would share as dating companions. A bridge had definitely formed between android and human, you and Connor, all thanks to a winter's night and a father figure setting the stage for your confessions.


	17. DBH Connor/RK800 X Fem! Reader - A Bridge Between Android & Human (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Hello, ladies and gentleman, Sakuraaeris1497 here! I'm pleased to present part 2 of the chapter A Bridge Between Android & Human, which is post-The Bridge from the canon of the game but also this is the second part that picks up where the last oneshot left off. Here's DBH Connor for you, the reader, to love as your very own. Please enjoy :)

Sitting beside Connor on the park bench, you stared into his eyes as he stared right back at you, his larger, slender hand clutching yours to ground himself in the new reality that you were not only field partners or friends but also life companions and lovers too. With brown eyes so warm and dark but also so full of the spark of life that you always saw whenever Connor was in you and Hank's presence, it definitely made you feel special to be gazed at with such respected admiration and tender affection, especially from an android, that it made your heart melt. At the same time, banners of software instability as well as other messages pertaining to Connor's love for you and his lack of regrets for confessing such a notion to you and Hank flashed in his current field of vision. While Connor stood firm in his beliefs that he wasn't a deviant, this ideology still didn't change his feelings for you and his love only grew for you the more he became lost in your eyes, those sparkling irises of (Eye Color) that always lifted his spirits and gave him extra feelings of hope and freedom. All Connor ever wanted was a companion to love as his own and be loved by in return without any strings attached. And now that he had confessed his love to you and you reciprocated back with your own feelings of love for him, it satisfied Connor as his mission was complete. You were his mission and you had chosen HIM to be worthy of your heart and soul, even your trust. But more importantly, Connor realized that he chose YOU over missions and deviants alike, all out of conscious free will. This was why Connor decided to trust you with all that he was and all that he had to offer as you asked him with a kind tone, "You wanted to talk?" Giving an affirmation with a head nod, Connor continued to stare into your eyes before you shrugged with concern as your gaze never diverted away from his, "So, what's on your mind? Is everything alright, Con?" 

With a small grin at being referred to by a nickname created from a variation of his first name, Connor's LED flashed yellow as he processed it and viewed it positively. Seeing it as one step closer in your current relationship, the first dating partnership for both of you, Connor's LED flashed back to blue as he grinned at you before his visage turned to something more dire and serious, as if he had some kind of big secret to reveal. Leaning closer to you so your hands were still clasped together and his face was inches from yours, Connor never broke eye contact with you as he responded, "(Name), I need to tell you something."

"Of course, Con. You can always trust me. What is it? You seem troubled." 

"After what happened with Hank, I realized that me becoming a hostage could portentously happen on a mission. It's only inevitable given our line of work...That's why, in the event that it actually does happen, I want you to know more about my biocomponents, just in case you had to shoot me to take me out of the equation or save me if I get injured." 

"Connor, no...I could never be the one to kill you. I wouldn't want to lose you like I did my father, and after what Hank did tonight, I don't want to even imagine that happening to you." You gasped as you shook your head and fluttered your eyes shut, trying to take away the memories of this night away when you nearly lost him, before Connor squeezed your hand and grabbed your plump cheek with his opposite hand. Cradling your face with a humanly gentleness while his eyes held so much passion and worry for your current state, Connor attempted to get your stress levels to go down as he talked you down off the ledge that was your anxiety-driven mind, "Please, (Name), just hear me out. Come on, hon, it's okay. Focus on my face and breathe deeply. Everything will be okay." Sensing that all-too familiar, comforting pressure on your dominant hand as Connor continued to cup your face in his free palm, the male android even breathed in and out as if he was some kind of deep-breathing instructor before you nuzzled your cheek into his hand. Grabbing Connor's hand with your free hand as it still laid across your cheek, you squeezed that hand tightly as you mimicked the breathing technique. Thinking of happy memories you shared with your father, Hank, Cole, and Connor, it managed to keep your head from wandering back to its dark hole of situational, mild anxiety and depression. At the same time, it also managed to keep your stress levels and heartbeat from getting too high as Connor smiled upon seeing you so relaxed before you pulled the man's hand away from your face. Bringing his limb to your lips, you kissed your way down Connor's hand from fingertip to palm until you reached his wrist, planting one last smooch on the center before you placed his hand back in his lap. Gazing upon you lovingly with chocolate orbs while confusion was evident in every crease and wrinkle on his face, Connor's head tilted to one side like a puppy's as he stared at you before he flexed his fingers. Realizing your recent interlock of palms so he could trace your kisses with his opposite palm, you watched as Connor's LED flashed yellow and his lip curled into a silent gasp, forming an O, with sparkling eyes that stared down at his hand before his lips curled into the most tender smile. Giving a small chuckle under his breath while still staring down at his hands, Connor looked so innocently child-like at the new feelings of a girl and companion he chose to love kissing his hands with a pure, delicate nature. This only made you feel more secure and happy in this new step of your relationship with Connor as you laughed at his adorable personality before you gripped his dominant hand again, giving a tender squeeze as you leaned in close so that you were facing your partner to give him your full attention. Seeing you in this state of euphoric joy because of his presence, your endorphins rising with every laugh he gave and every smile or gentle glance he exchanged with you, it caused Connor's thirium pump to flutter and his stomach to somersault inside him as he felt completely happy to see you happy but to also see that his reactions and gestures had a profound effect on you, which in turn had a profound effect on him. 

(Software Instability ^^^^^^^^^^)

Once you were calm and holding his hand again, Connor began to explain himself again as he gave your hand a squeeze to keep you grounded, "If you know about my biocomponents, it wouldn't result in my death. It would just make the criminal think I was dead since it would only cause me to bleed, giving you enough time to apprehend them and prevent further bloodshed of innocent humans...I made a promise to you not too long ago. Do you remember it?"

"Yes, how could I ever forget? Why do you ask?" You interrogated your partner with a smile, feeling more safe in his presence as you trusted his every word, before Connor elaborated more on the subject, "It's because I meant it, every word. Everything I told you during your panic attack, everything I told Lieutenant Anderson tonight, I never regretted choosing you over my missions or deviants because all I wanted to do was protect you...I would never lie to you, (Name), and I completely trust you. In all actuality, if I had to put my life in anyone's hands, it would be yours, no questions asked." 

"Connor..." You gasped again as a heartfelt expression graced your face while your eyes actually shimmered in the light of Detroit's nightlife, contrasted with the ivory snow cascading around your face. Touched by Connor's statements as well as how he voluntarily gave his trust to you and only you, the man picked up on your every reaction as his internal scanners noticed an increase in your endorphins, signifying to him that he was making you happy. This, in turn, caused Connor to smile back at you as he kissed the back of the hand you had clasped with his before he pulled your hand closer to his body. 

Placing it on the left side of his chest, Connor let your touch linger there for a moment as you felt movement below your stretched-out palm. Thump, thump...Thump, thump...The familiar beat of an android heart that closely resembled a healthy human's pulsed under your hand as Connor watched your reaction, noticing that you became more alert but also more touched by his gesture before he asked you, "Do you feel that beat against your hand? It's where my thirium pump and thirium pump regulator are. These are some of the most vital biocomponents I have." 

"It's like a heart with arteries and veins. One fatal wound and it's all over for you." You whispered under your breath with all seriousness in your tone and downcast eyes that stared down at Connor before he nodded back, "That's correct."

After a few moments of taking everything in, you decided to let curiosity get the better of you in regards to Connor. Now, he was your new boyfriend so it would be beneficial to learn more about him and how his anatomy worked, especially if he was ever injured to the brink of death or taken hostage by a deviant. You needed to know how to save him if he got hurt, but you were also genuinely interested in knowing more about him since he had learned a lot about you. Therefore, your (Eye Color) eyes perked up and stared at Connor's warm brown orbs before your tone signaled to him that you were calm and eager to gather more information about this RK800 you called a boyfriend, "How does it all work?" 

"Androids have two minutes after the thirium pump and regulator are damaged or removed before they deactivate. The regulator is below the sternum and has a wire that connects to the pump, and the pump is located where the human heart would be anatomically placed. The pump is a cylinder that just clicks in with a push." 

"So if I reconnect the wire and manage to stop the bleeding in your pump, you'll stabilize from an injury, right?" You interrogated as you looked to your beloved for answers, causing him to nod politely. Right then and there, this moment was deemed to be so tender and genuine, vulnerable and raw with new emotions felt only by romantic partners, that you couldn't help but chuckle to yourself with shining eyes as Connor's heart fluttered faster with every reaction and brush of your smooth fingers against his chest. At the same time, Connor grabbed your hand as he placed it on his forehead, explaining that this was the core of his mind palace, where recorded memories, gathered research for cases or about colleagues such as you and Hank, and unique thoughts all appeared together. Once Connor educated you about his most important biocomponents, he waited a moment in silence for any further questions that were needed for clarification about a concept you needed better explaining for, only for you to ask if he had reproductive biocomponents of any kind since you were aware that only newer android models or Tracis had them. Remarking that he did have such biocomponents with an affirmative signal in the form of a head shake, Connor cupped your hand against his face as he explained that he was given them just in case he ever had to go undercover to seduce someone for a mission, causing him to quickly change his response as he remarked kindly that he would NEVER imagine doing such an action with anyone else but you. Satisfied with Connor's answers as your thirst for knowledge about him was quenched, you nodded lightly as your next few thoughts imagined Connor being seductive beyond the usual flirting you two engaged in on a regular basis at work before your face burned crimson as if someone had lit a match to it, causing the brunette male to grin at you and your cute reactions as he figured out that you were most likely imagining a hypothetical scenario involving the two of you. 

Savoring your touch as your fingers stroked his synthetic skin, Connor nuzzled into your hand with his eyes closed and a soft sigh escaping his lips as you grinned warmly at the android, who melted your very heart due to how adorkable he was in his every word and gesture. With the subtle innocent demeanor of a child and the aesthetic good looks of a handsome cherub or ephebe, Connor literally caused your heart to flutter like butterflies in your chest and your mind to race like a car on the Autobahn because of his sweet, human-like gentleness. For a moment there, Connor resembled a human lover engaging in private, long-lived, non-coital intimacy with their significant other as he allowed you to touch his heart and head on that park bench. He gave you his word and his love, both of which you accepted without question or strings attached. And now, he gave you his trust in the hopes that you might be able to save him if such a time of danger ever came to pass. It took a lot of guts for an android to admit their feelings were real or the fact that they were alive, even if they were labeled a deviant to be feared and apprehended like some common criminal because humans socially constructed that definition and enforced it in a way to oppress these poor people, who didn't ask to be created so they could be used as pleasure objects, hired help, or manual labor. So for Connor to reveal something that personal and that serious so soon with such sincerity even when he claimed he wasn't a deviant, it meant a lot to you that he trusted you that much to confide in you. 

(Software Instability ^) 

With a new round of snowfall falling from the sky onto hair and eyelashes of both android and human, you gazed at Connor as you remained holding his cold hand before you visibly winced with a shiver, hugging your body half-heartily with one arm. At once, Connor scanned you for abnormalities as he found that your body temperature had plummeted with every cool breeze and every squeeze of his metallic hand before he worriedly interrogated you, "Are you cold, (Name)?" 

"I'm a little chilly right now, but I'd rather prefer to be cold than hot. The way my body works, I overheat very easily and most of my clothes are made for winter and fall. So when Detroit is all snowy or cool, it makes me very happy." You explained as you shivered again with a soft hug to your chest while you continued to hold Connor's hand. Taking note of your heart rate remaining constant as you spoke, Connor noticed that you were telling the truth as he made a mental note of your preference for weather and temperature with his LED flashing yellow in deep contemplation. Within a flash with his LED turning back to blue, Connor enveloped both of your hands in both of his palms. A few seconds of watching his gesture passed and with a pleasant sigh, you felt your hands warm up in his grasp as he leaned down to kiss the backs of your hands, his lips tender and warm against your freezing palms. Staring ahead at him lovingly as he lifted his head back up, you both exchanged a small smile with each other before Connor threaded his fingers in your hair. Observing how soaking wet your hair was from the rain before the snow came and how pink your scalp was after the Traci had pulled on it to defend her lover from you and Connor, the male android kept his hand warm as he brushed it through your hair like a heated straightener. Warming your head from the cold so you wouldn't get sick, Connor managed to dry some of the strands with his hand as he complimented that your hair looked good when it was down with his usual smile and wink followed by a heartfelt chuckle as his LED shone with a pleasant shade of blue, causing you to blush crimson and him to blush sapphire from making you feel bashful. 

Once your body had returned to a decent temperature that would prevent illness, Connor smiled at you as he leaned in closer, facing you on the bench so you both had each other's undivided attention. Still holding hands, Connor decided to ask you a few questions that he had always wanted to ask but didn't want to pressure you with since they were all touchy subjects personal to you and even Hank. But now that you two were alone, Connor felt more comfortable asking since it related to Hank and he didn't fear you would get angry or upset with him too much since you always seemed to like answering him. Honestly, it was a cathartic experience whenever you told Connor stories from your past because with the bad memories of losing Cole and your father, you also had good memories of them that you had never shared with anyone else...except Connor. That's why his next question and your next response meant a lot to Connor since he wanted to get to know you better as he questioned you, "May I ask you something personal, (Name)?"  

"Sure, Con, hon. What is it?" You replied as you gave his hand a gentle squeeze to reassure him that he had permission to be curious about you, which was just the confidence boost he needed as he spoke again,  "What was your relationship like with Cole? I can tell you cared deeply for him." 

"I did..." You nodded in your affirmative response as your eyes showed nothing but warmth in remembrance for the little boy. Seeing your heart flutter in your chest and your pupils dilate with his internal scanners, Connor was relieved that you weren't ridden with anxiety over being asked about Cole as he listened intently to your verbal recollections of the little boy, "I've known Hank since I was in diapers, so it also meant I was there when Cole was born...I was maybe around twelve and when I held him in my arms for the first time, I...He was just so cute and tiny, with these big blue eyes and dark brown hair. He looked so much like Hank, but sometimes when you smile or laugh, I don't know...You just kinda resemble him a little, maybe as if you were what Cole could've been like as an adult..." Taking another pause to collect yourself and gather some more words, Connor waited patiently for you to speak again before you squeezed his hand to reassure him that you were okay to continue as your mouth opened again, "And I always loved children, but when I saw Cole, I definitely knew that I loved that little boy as if he were my own brother, even my own son...In fact, whenever Hank had long hours at work, I would always take his son to and from school to make sure he got back okay...This park and even the local zoo were places that Cole and I would frequent a lot after school, especially when he was a toddler. I came here with Hank and my dad all the time when they weren't working and I always loved it, so I wanted Cole to have a similar experience. And I always did it free of charge, even when Hank offered me money for gas to fill up my tank once I started driving...Even when I went through all the crap with my dad dying and my mom kicking me out, Cole always knew how to cheer me up since he was a smart kid and he was observant enough to figure it out...Even just seeing those big baby blues and that toothy grin, I don't know...Cole just had this curiosity and innocence about him that would just melt your heart to the point where you would forget why you were even upset in the first place." 

Stopping for another moment to squeeze Connor's hand as you grinned warmly at the little moments you shared with Cole, Hank, and your father, those tender scenes that flashed through your mind in your long-term memory, you paused again to collect yourself as two tears glided down your cheek, one from each bottom eyelid. However, you didn't seem to notice them fall while Connor became worried for your emotional wellbeing, his warm chocolate irises darting around your frame to scan you for spikes in your stress levels or heart rate only to find nothing too bad except for what would be considered normal from someone who was alert. Then, giving a warm smile to Connor, you squeezed his hand again as he squeezed your hand back before you asked a rhetorical question, "You wanna know something?"

Giving you a small nod, Connor waited for you to finish your statement as you nodded back at him with a familiar hand squeeze to his palm and a gentle grin, "Cole always wanted to be a hero, said he always idolized me and Hank and wanted to be just like his daddy...He wanted to make his mark on the world and make it a better place...And even though he was only a little kid, he always liked androids, but he never quite understood why they were always mistreated. I tried to explain the truth to him in a way he could understand at that age, but I didn't have the heart to tell him all the horrific details...Whenever we went to this park, Cole would always speak to the PL600 and AX400 androids as if they were human babysitters like me and he was always so kind to them. He was even kind to the WR600 androids who looked after the flowers in the park and the kids that were being watched by their caretaker androids...He was such a sweet kid...He once told me that he wanted androids to be free since they were cool and deserved the chance to be equals to humans, and he said he wanted to be the human who started a change that would free them...Sadly, Cole never saw his dream play out and he never got the chance to have a childhood, go to college, get married, have kids...and he never will." 

Feeling the tears prick your eyelids as your grief overtook you, Cole's very memory and even the reality of his death and lost dreams caused you to tear up as you sniffled. Wiping your tears away with your sleeve and the fist of your dominant hand, Connor watched as your heart rate, anxiety, and stress levels rose while your serotonin levels fluctuated to levels not common in an average person untouched by sadness. While you weren't openly sobbing like you were when you had that nightmare, you were still crying and in painful distress. Therefore, Connor enveloped you into his arms as he tightened his grip so you were completely covered by the synthetic flesh of his hands (which started to heat up in order to keep you warm since you were shivering due to cold and grief) and his clothed frame. With no intention of letting you go until you had stabilized yourself, Connor brushed his hands through your hair as you started to relax enough to only shed silent tears without so much as a sniffle or bitten-back sob. Suddenly tense a few moments ago, you were now not so tense as Connor's warmth and humanistic gestures soothed you, the only noise escaping your lips being a sigh of relief followed by a reply of 'Thank you.' Remarking that it was the least he could do to repay you for your constant kindness towards him, Connor pulled away from you momentarily as he swiped your tears away with both hands before he gripped your dominant hand again, giving it a reassuring squeeze to ground you as you smiled in humbled gratitude for his help. 

(Software Instability ^) 

Once he was sure you were okay, Connor deemed it safe to ask you his last question as he looked to you for answers, "I noticed you became sad when that Traci died back at the club. May I ask why?...If you don't want to answer, that's fine too. I was just curious." 

"No, Connor, it's okay. I'm okay now." You shrugged off as you gave him a hand squeeze to show him that your emotions were reined back in because of his previous actions of comforting you and always making sure you were alright physically and mentally. Then, thinking back on the events at the Eden Club, you remembered that black-haired Traci, her eyes full of terror after being beaten by an abusive human before she suddenly died after losing too much thirium. While that sight nearly made you cry again, you managed to breathe deeply through your nose as you reassured yourself that you were okay before you told Connor the truth, which he sensed immediately on his bodily scanners as your heart rate went back to one that was normal for a female of 21 years of age. Taking a deep breath through your mouth, you looked to Connor with sad (Eye Color) irises while you kept your heart rate, anxiety, and stress down even though your face expressed all the mixed emotions you felt, "I haven't been a detective as long as Hank has, but I have seen a lot on this job. That's why I'm used to the smell and appearance of dead bodies, especially murder victims...But in all my years as a detective, I've never once watched someone die in front of me like that...And I don't know...Seeing that Traci breathe her last breath, it reminded me an awful lot of my dad when he died in that hospital, holding my hand as he sighed for the last time...It also made me think how unfair it was that she had to live in fear and abuse without any love before she died. No one should have to live like that, doesn't matter if you're human or android. Everyone is worthy of being treated with respect and dignity since that's the humane thing to do, and to know that she was treated like an object, it just made me sad. I only wish I could've showed her that not all humans were bad, same with that one WR600 android Ralph." 

"But don't you see? By meeting you, they both saw that there were still humans out there who wouldn't hurt them. You were so kind and gentle with them and you treated them like people that are alive. You treated them no differently from how you treat me or any other person, and I think that made a difference in the way you solved the cases involving them." Connor explained as he attempted to cheer you up with facts about how your kindness affected other people while you smiled in gratitude at his gesture, which caused you both to squeeze each other's hands lovingly, "You got Ralph to trust and we managed to find the AX400 and the little girl, and you got the Traci to trust you enough so we could question her before she died. Had it not been for you, we wouldn't have gotten one step closer to solving the mystery of RA9 and finding out more about deviants."

"You really think so?"

"I know so. Those androids trusted you without question because of the way you treated them. You were an important catalyst for solving these cases so I thank you for making my job easier. But you also made me love you more because just seeing how you cared about other people, it made me realize how much I felt for you." Connor explained as he gazed lovingly at you with a smile before you hugged him, wrapping your arms around his neck so your fingers could tangle in his hair while you gave a reply of "Awww, Connor," touched by his truthful statements because they made you feel special but they also touched your heart.   
At the same time, Connor wrapped his arms around your waist, stroking his hands though your hair again while he rested his forehead on your shoulder. 

(Software Instability ^) 

Basking in the ambiance of the snowy weather as the lights of Connor's blue LED and the city of Detroit glowed pleasantly, you and Connor savored the warmth of your hug before you pulled away from each other with a soft smile exchanged between you. Hopping up from the bench after you suggested going back to your home, Connor followed close beside you without holding your hand (just in case of anti-android protestors) as you walked to the street so you could both hail a taxi. After flagging down a yellow and black cab, you and Connor hopped in and buckled up, allowing the automatic vehicle to drive you home before you paid the bill electronically once you reached your front steps. 

As the cab drove away, you and Connor looked back towards Hank's driveway, seeing his car absent and his house lights off. Deciding to check on Sumo first, you entered the house with your spare key as the St. Bernard barked with the low gruffness associated with his breed. Once you entered the door, your voice became higher-pitched as you smiled and opened your arms as if to hug the dog before Sumo sprinted to you. Standing up on two legs, Sumo placed his hands on your shoulders like a man trying to waltz with you before he started licking your face while his tail wagged behind him wildly, nearly knocking you over due to the sheer force of his excited shove. After managing to calm him down, Sumo hopped down as he landed on all fours before he perked his head up at Connor, causing the male android to greet the dog with a sheepish grin and wave of his hand while he tried to curb his childlike excitement. This only caused Sumo to give a low, gruff sound of "Roof" at Connor before he sauntered closer to the taller man, allowing the android to pet his head as his tail wagged before he licked the metallic fingers frantically to show how excited he was to see Hank's field partner too. Nearly tearing up at the contact, Connor knelt down to scratch behind the dog's ears as Sumo huffed through his nose with his tongue hanging out before he licked Connor's cheek, causing the android to laugh innocently like a child who had just been given a new puppy. 

This only caused you to grin at Connor from your place in the kitchen as you made sure the dog had plenty of food and water by refilling his bowls before you remarked, "Awww, Sumo never does that unless it's me or Hank. I think he likes you." Once you had triple-checked Sumo's bare necessities, you and Connor sat down on the couch in order to give the lovable beast some tender affection in the form of petting his fur and scratching behind his ears. But once you yawned, Connor remarked at how tired you were before you gave him a small nod of agreement, suggesting that getting a good night's sleep, taking some aspirin for your injury, and taking another warm shower would definitely feel nice. Even though you didn't want to leave Sumo alone, you and Connor nevertheless apologized to the dog as you both hugged the St. Bernard, promising that you'd make it to up to him later once you had gotten your proper rest and Hank had returned home. Leading you to the door, you and Connor bid Sumo goodbye as he slumped down in his dog bed and you locked Hank's house back up. 

After making sure the door was shut, you and Connor walked back across the street towards your home as you opened up your door and let the both of you inside. Shutting and locking your door, placing your keys inside the front breast pocket, you laid your leather jacket across the coat hanger that was fastened to the wall before you announced that you would take a shower. Giving you an affirmative reply, Connor waited patiently for your return in your bedroom as he sat on the mattress at your suggestion that he make himself comfortable. After making a report to CyberLife in regards to what transpired at the Eden Club as well as making a report to DPD on your behalf, Connor caught sight of you exiting your bathroom, fully dressed in your charcoal gray-blue DPD hoodie and cotton pajama shorts. With your hair blow-dried and smelling like your favorite scent of (Favorite Scent) because of your shampoo and conditioner as it fanned out across your shoulders, you grinned at Connor warmly as you joined him on the bed, the plush mattress taking a pleasant dip towards one side as you and Connor leaned in closer. Chuckling lightly at each other's antics, you leaned back against your pillows as you got under the warm covers before you bid Connor goodnight as he asked you an innocent question, "(Name)?"

"Yes, Con?" You replied as you used his nickname before he stuttered in his next few sentences out of fear of you rejecting him, "I was wondering, if...If I...I thought maybe since we're dating now...I wanted to know if I could kiss you?" Looking at Connor with perked eyebrows and wide irises, you were quite shocked that he would be asking for permission to kiss you, his new secret girlfriend, now that you were officially together. However, it was kind of nice having an android who loved you and who acted like a gentlemanly "boy next door," constantly asking permission verbally or through gestures to make sure everything was consensual between you two. Therefore, you decided to tease him a little as you gave him a nod and a reply of "of course" while his LED flashed yellow. 

However, Connor didn't completely register the affirmation of consent that you gave, even as his LED indicated he was deep in thought. This is why you watched his LED flash to red with a playful giggle into your sleeves as Connor saw red warning banners of his body overheating and software instability, which made his current line of vision become blocked by digital alerts and hazy as if he was stuck in a fog. This bashful reaction was only made more profound by the smooch you planted on Connor's cheek to see how he'd react before you stroked a stray piece of brown hair behind his ear so that you could see the comforting light of his LED better. With a blue dusting of his plump cheeks and his facial expression displaying nothing short of perplexed surprise, Connor's thick eyebrows lifted up to match the dilation of his pupils as his mouth closed into a thin line while he turned his head to you. Seeing that you were dead serious, as evidenced by your heart rate and endorphin levels but also your facial expression, Connor eventually felt a peeling of a layer from his eyes as the cloudiness dissipated and he saw you, crystal clear as day. 

Smiling back at you as his LED spun around several times from red to yellow and then back to its default blue, Connor cupped your cheek in his hand as you mimicked his actions with your own hand cupping the cheek you kissed moments ago before he tilted your head up. Stroking his face as you traced every freckle like a 'connect the dots' page of a child's coloring book, Connor leaned in close so that his lips were literally half an inch from yours. Hesitating a few moments as he went back and forth between leaning in closer or pulling away, Connor eventually made physical contact as his pink lips completely covered yours. For an android made of cold metal, you were shocked to feel that his lips were actually warm and soft without any aid from his temperature regulation systems. Taking note of your every sigh, shaky inhale of breath, and even pleasurable moan, Connor committed this moment to his memories as his LED flashed yellow while his optical scanners recorded you kissing him so he could play it back like a movie whenever he wished. At the same time, Connor felt overwhelmed by his emotions of love for you, which amplified even more and caused his LED to flash red once he finally got the chance to kiss the female human he chose to be his life companion. Feeling himself overheat and become overstimulated by the gentle pressure and comforting warmth, even the feather-like softness of your lips on his, Connor couldn't help but let loose a relieved sigh followed by a moan as you smiled at him through your kiss, which caused him to grin during the kiss too. After a few minutes that seemed to drag on pleasantly for what seemed like an eternity, you and Connor eventually pulled away so you could catch your breath as you gasped deeply through your mouth. Taking deep breaths too as his eyes widened in their gaze at the mattress below his body, Connor's chest heaved up and down wildly as if he were hyperventilating before he gazed at you again. With wide eyes and soft gasps escaping your lips, an expression of true love was exchanged between you and Connor as you both smiled in unison before you pulled each other into a tender hug that resulted in a cuddling position on the bed. Facing each other in a spooning position so that arms and legs of human and android were clasped around each other like pretzels, you and Connor engaged in one last episode of lip-locking as the brunette brushed a stray strand of hair behind your ear and you fixed the stray strand that always rested over his forehead before you bid each other goodnight. Gripping each other hands again during the final kiss that sealed the deal, you and Connor savored the moment together as a new dating couple before you yawned. Placing your head on Connor's shoulder, you felt the fingers of his free hand card through your hair, which was free-flowing around your shoulders and out of its usual ponytail, while you sighed deeply at the comforting feeling. At the same time, you brushed your fingers through the pin-straight, brunette hair close to the nape of his neck, causing Connor to chuckle lightly from the new sensation as it tickled him. After a few moments of innocent cuddling, you eventually fell asleep with light snores and deep breathes through your nose while Connor watched over you. No nightmares occurred this night since Connor was there to comfort you if such an event ever came to pass, making you feel safe to dream as thoughts of your new lover filled your head. Satisfied by the fact that you weren't mentally or physically harmed but also still excited over the fact that you consciously chose to be his companion, Connor smiled down at you as he continued to brush his fingers through your hair before he put himself into a powered-down mode ideal for androids who needed a recharge. Closing his eyes as his hand lazily moved against your hair, Connor eventually relaxed under the covers with you as his body became still except for the constant heaving up and down of his chest. With one last motion through your hair, Connor's hand eventually dropped to your shoulder as his fingers gripped your shirt while you leaned closer into his chest, clutching his jacket tightly like a monkey on a tree branch. Still holding hands in your sleep, the two of you looked absolutely cute and ethereal as nothing short of peace lined your slumbering facial features. Chests heaving under warm bedsheets and clothed exteriors, anyone who would look upon you and Connor would want to paint, photograph, or write about you and your love because it was absolutely beautiful and real, filled with raw vulnerability that no one, human or android, could've ever imagined. Hank was right, even though he'd never admit he was the main catalyst that caused you two to confess. A bridge had been made between android and human, and it started with you and Connor. You both didn't know what the world would think of your relationship, but you two didn't care. RA9, Amanda, CyberLife, and even DPD didn't matter. Jericho and deviants didn't matter either. You only needed each other because that was good enough to make you both happy. And you didn't know what Fate or God had in store for you both, but if anything happened, you'd go through it together as a team, a partnership of companions. You promised to protect Connor and in turn, he promised to protect you. That's what made your bond so strong in the first place, this constant need to make sure the other person was okay on and off the job by putting them first and treating them in the kind, gentle way they deserved to be treated. And if it was anything that people knew about you and Connor, it was that you both never gave up, not even once.


	18. DBH Connor x Female Reader - Knife to the Flesh; Tear to the Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Greetings everyone, Sakuraaeris1497 here again after a while of not finishing up the DBH oneshots. I’m so excited to finally bring these oneshots back to you, the audience, who have always been supportive. Thank you so much for reading my fanwork and please enjoy. And if you’d like to leave constrictive comments or writing requests, please do. 
> 
> This oneshot corresponds with the Connor episode of Public Enemy, so I’ve provided a YouTube link below to the original scene and dialogue. 
> 
> YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/7Qvi6azPJ6I

Confessing love was a wondrous thing indeed. Confessing love to an android who reciprocated your feelings exactly, now that was like staring fear down in the face before finally conquering your worst nightmare. The fact that Connor loved you and trusted you with every secret inside himself, that made you care more about him with every passing moment. All you wanted to do was cuddle with him in your warm bed forever and forget the world as they hated androids and humans who sided with androids. You wanted to help Connor navigate the world as someone who was showing signs of deviancy with you as his new girlfriend, but as always, your phone went off with a call from you and Hank’s boss as duty practically called your name. Shuffling out of Connor’s arms to answer your phone, your poor boyfriend shuffled around on the bed too as he missed your warmth and comforting heartbeat, even the sound of your relaxed breathing while you mouthed an apology and a promise to continue another cuddling session later. After being filled in on a new break in your cases of deviant androids, you told Captain Fowler that you and Connor would head down to Stratford Tower to make it to the broadcast room for Channel 16. After hanging up the phone with Fowler, you began pulling on clothes as you got dressed in your closet out of view of Connor before the male android asked you, “Sergeant (Surname), what is it?” 

“Fowler just called. We have a new break in our case on deviants. We need to head to Stratford Tower and investigate the TV station.” You responded as you finally pulled a short-sleeved shirt over your head and buttoned your jeans before exiting the closet to brush your teeth, wash your face, put on a little makeup, and fix your hair to make yourself more presentable. Just as you finished getting dressed by slipping on your leather jacket, Connor looked your way once more as he questioned you a second time, “Shouldn’t we let Hank know about this new development? He is our partner, after all.” 

“That’s why I plan to give him a wake up call at his house by sobering him up. Come on, hon. Let’s go.” You smiled at your boyfriend as you grabbed your keys and locked up your house before walking across the street to Hank’s house. Knocking on the door a couple times, you waited for the man to open the door before you were greeted with a familiar face. Dressed in pajamas with his white hair a mess and the smell of beer on him, Hank smiled at you kindly with a sleepy salutations, “Hey, (Name). Good morning.” 

“Good morning, Hank. Fowler just called. We got a new break in the case.”

“Where to?”

“Stratford Tower, Lieutenant Anderson. We should head over there as soon as possible.” Connor responded as Hank nodded before tiredly huffing, “Give me five minutes.”

“We’ll be waiting in my car. Just walk across the street when you’re ready.” You winked with a grin as you grabbed Connor’s hand and sauntered back to your car. Before Hank shut the door to go about getting dressed for the long day ahead, he managed to catch a glimpse of the hand-holding that went on between his goddaughter and android partner as a small grin formed on his face, hope gleaming in his eyes as satisfaction at acting as matchmaker between you and your beloved paid off in the end. 

Shortly after Hank got dressed, he rejoined you two at your car as you took over the wheel with Connor in the front with you and Hank in the backseat before the older man piped up with a joke, “So, how’re things, lovebirds?”

“Lovebirds? What’re you talking about, Uncle Hank?” You gasped with jovial laughter escaping your lips while Connor shook his head solemnly, “Androids are incapable of love. We’re made for a specific purpose and nothing more. You must be mistaken, Lieutenant.” 

“You’re both probably right...Old sot like me’s probably hungover and jumbling up my memory like that kid in that one game with the key sword thing.” Hank mumbled in the backseat as he waved his hand around like he was casting some spell or conducting some orchestra masterpiece before Connor looked to you for answers since he had no idea what pop culture reference you and Hank made with each other. But all the while, you couldn’t help but laugh so hard at the wheel that you could barely breathe at Hank’s hangover while the two important men in your life looked at you in confusion by exchanging similar glances with each other. Once you collected yourself, you gave your godfather the correct answer to his backseat ramblings as you glanced at him using your rear view mirror, “I think you mean Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories with Sora.” 

“Yeah, you’re right. Maybe we should play that again like we used to when all these cases are solved. It’d kinda be like a celebration party.” 

“I second that notion because I love that game too since it’s such an old classic. You, Cole, and Dad loved that game so much that you basically made knowing its plot your whole lives. At one point, didn’t you tell me and Cole that you and my dad tried to write fanfiction about the games but kept getting the lore mixed up and had to constantly edit it?” You smiled as Hank retorted while wagging a finger at you from the backseat, “Hey, knowing the entirety of the lore and the plot should get you a fricking medal! It’s a complicated storyline, something you kids today wouldn’t understand.” 

“Oh, really? Sure, okay, Uncle Hank...The plot is everyone is either Xehanort, Sora, Riku, or Kairi with Disney and Final Fantasy characters as either your friends or foes. Plus, you have time travel but it’s weird rules for time travel and weird concepts of time that don’t seem to matter.”

“Still a good game though.”

“Yep, still a good game...Maybe Connor could play it with us since he’s looking at us right now like we’re talking nonsense.” You giggled as Hank managed his own laugh at the confusion of his android friend before Connor nodded, “I would like that very much, (Name), provided I don’t have to go back to CyberLife.” 

“Then I’d be honored.” You nodded back as you turned onto the road that led into the Stratford Tower parking lot before you and your posse exited the car and headed to the nearest elevator after you and Hank showed your ID’s to the police officer overseeing the front door and gave permission for Connor to pass through. Entering inside the contraption, Connor could visibly see you take a large gulp as his scanners picked up on the fact that your resting heart rate was sharply increasing as if you were going to panic. At once, the make android took your hand and squeezed down tightly, which seemed to lower your resting heart rate back down to a reasonable level as you looked to the man with a soft smile, causing Connor to smile back at you. Noticing your discomfort, Hank pat your free shoulder and gave a comforting squeeze before he soothed you, “It’s just a short elevator ride to the 79th floor. It’ll all be over soon, I promise. And Connor and I are here for you, aren’t we, Robocop?”

“Yes, Lieutenant.” Connor nodded before he asked you, “I take it you don’t like elevators?”

“Yeah, I’m always scared I’ll get stuck in one and no one will find me or that it’ll fall down several stories and I’ll die from the impact.” You nodded with a shuddering voice before Connor squeezed your hand again and explained, “Well, there’s only a small statistical possibility that either one of those situations will happen. And if it did, I would gladly shield you from the fall even if it meant that it would kill me.” 

“Connor...” 

“It’s like I said before if you remember, (Name). You are always my choice.” Connor replied as he gave your hand a final squeeze before you both let go of each other once it was determined that you were calmed down completely by Floor 8. Up and up, the elevator went as the three of you rode it to the 79th floor as Connor pulled out his coin and began calibrating his reflexes and senses before the real investigation upstairs began. 

On the 2nd to last floor of the journey, Hank started to get annoyed as the sound of a coin flipping and clanking against an android’s skin rang in his ear for at least 68 floors. Clutching his biceps tightly as he crossed them over his chest and gritted his teeth in agitation, Hank finally snapped as he snatched the coin with a gruff hiss, “You’re starting to piss me off with that coin, Connor.” 

“Sorry, Lieutenant.” Connor apologized under his breath, taken aback by the older man’s outburst and snatching of his only personal item, before you shook your head at Hank and mouthed an apology to Connor for your godfather’s attitude. 

“79th Floor.” The elevator chimed with a peppy feminine tone as the double doors slid open before Chris, dressed in his usual police uniform with neon yellow trim on his jacket, greeted you and Hank with a soft grin, “Hi, Hank.” 

“Good morning, Chris. I hope you’re doing well. How’s the wife and son?” You greeted back with a gentle smile as the African-American cop reciprocated the salutations with a genuine smile and an answer to your question, “Both are doing well. And I’m okay, just a little tired because the son always keeps me up at night. Thanks for asking, Sergeant (Name).” 

“Good to hear.” You nodded back with a smile before continuing your train of thought aloud, “Now, onto business. Can you please fill us in on what the deviants did here?” 

“There was a party and nobody told me about it?” Hank joked as Chris tried to do everything possible to avoid laughing at a crime scene before he began with his recap of events by attempting his own jokes, “Yeah, it’s all over the news, so everybody’s butting their nose in...Even the FBI wants a piece of the action.” 

“Ah, Christ. Now we got the Feds on our back...” Hank huffed while he rolled his eyes before you shrugged and made your own joke, “Well, there’s always a crasher at every party, and it just happens to be the Federal pricks. They’re probably just gonna give the whole ‘don’t get in our way’ spiel and act all high and mighty just because they have higher security clearance and a fancier badge. Believe me, I’ve dealt with this type before in college when I was training to work in law enforcement. Not all FBI agents are pricks but the ones that are...Spoiler alert: they are.” 

“Well, we shall certainly keep that wonderful advice in mind, Sergeant, during our investigations. After all, we work for Captain Fowler, not the FBI. We collect evidence on his behalf, not theirs. Maybe we should make that clear to whatever agent we encounter.” Connor piped up with his own joke even though he was totally being serious before you and Hank found yourselves unable to hold back a chuckle under your breathes while you pat your boyfriend’s shoulder with a nod, “Good thinking, Connor. That just may work. Now, you wanna help me gather evidence after Chris fills us in?”

“It would be my pleasure.” Connor nodded as you smiled back at him before Chris went through the rundown of the crime scene while you four walked together through the long hallway, “A group of five androids. They knew the building and they were very well-organized. I’m still trying to figure out how they got this far without being noticed.”

“You check the roof?” Chris asked two of his colleagues before they shook their heads politely and answered, “Not yet. There’s so much to look at. Have to make sure we check it out.” Moving past his colleagues, Chris ushered you, Connor, and Hank to follow him again as he continued with the recap, “They attacked two guards in the hallway. They probably thought the androids were coming to do maintenance. They got taken down before they could react. One of the station employees managed to get away. He’s in shock, not sure when we’ll be able to talk to him.”

“If he’s up to it later, Connor and I can always interrogate him unless you have someone who specializes in traumatized victims on call.” You offered as Chris nodded before Hank looked around the hallway as questions of his own poured from his mouth, “How many people were working here?” 

“Just two employees and three androids. The deviants took the humans hostage and broadcast their message live. They made their getaway from the roof.” Chris answered before Hank asked, “The roof?”

“Yeah, they jumped with parachutes. We’re still trying to figure out where they landed but the weather’s not helping. If you wanna take a look at the video broadcast by the deviants, it’s on that screen over there.” Chris finished as he stood by the entrance to the broadcast room where the message was sent out from, typing away notes and evidence on his tablet, before you suggested to your boyfriend, “I’m gonna survey the hallway, you wanna help me, Con?” 

“Of course, Sergeant (Surname).” Connor nodded as he followed you back towards the scene that you remembered Chris gesturing to while you talked with an Asian female officer who was typing notes and evidence into her tablet, “Excuse me, Ma’am.”

“Hello, Sergeant (Surname).” The woman smiled at you as she recognized your badge and your face before you greeted back with a grin, “Hello. This is Connor; he’s working with me and Hank. Do you think you could fill us in on what happened here at this particular area? Chris gave us a full recap but we want to make sure we have all the pieces to the puzzle.” 

“Certainly. This is the guard’s desk but there was one station employee who was talking to them. They were all ambushed by five deviants but the station employee managed to escape. The guards say the female deviant wearing the baseball cap asked their leader to shoot the one who was escaping to prevent an alarm being raised, but the leader refused to shed blood.”

“Where are the guards?” Connor asked as the female officer answered the android, hesitant to reveal too much about the case to someone who resembled the deviants but willing to answer him once reassurance was given by you, “Speaking with our fellow officers. They’re still shaken up but not nearly as bad as the employee who barely escaped...Anything else I can help you with?” 

“No, I think that’s it for now. Thanks, officer.” 

“No problem, Sergeant. Take care.”

“Thanks. You too.” You answered back as Connor trailed behind you while you checked the entrance to the broadcast room before your boyfriend noticed an interesting detail that nobody else seemed to pick up on. Over each entrance before getting inside the broadcast room was a CCTV camera with a blinking red light inside a shadowy dome, and this little detail may have been the answer and the clue as to who the deviants were and what exactly happened to the guards and the employee who escaped in this very hallway. Giving a nod to Connor, you decided to enter the main broadcast room alongside him with this vital clue at your disposal, where Chris led you to a male FBI agent who was watching the deviants’ message on the big screen with his hands clasped behind his back. 

“Oh, Lieutenant, Sergeant. This is Special Agent Perkins from the FBI.” Chris announced as you, Hank, and Connor stood in front of the smug man to make your presence known while Chris continued the courteous introductions as if everyone was a Game of Thrones character, “Lieutenant Anderson is in charge of investigating for Detroit Police. Sergeant (Surname) is his second-in-command for deviant cases, as is her speciality in interrogation with special populations.”

“What’s that?” Perkins interrogated you and Hank with beady eyes full of contempt towards Connor and haughty posture before you decided to act upon his inferiority complex by taking him down off his high horse with eyes narrowing towards him and Connor, “I think you mean WHO’S that, Special Agent. My partner has a name and is no object. Doesn’t matter to me if you have some fancy badge or more security clearance. I won’t have you refer to him in that tone.” 

“It’s ok, Sergeant.” Connor reassured you as he could see you fuming and ready to blow a gasket at the FBI agent in front of you by putting his hand on your shoulder, which seemed to be the best way of calming you down, before he introduced himself to the agent, “My name is Connor. I’m the android sent by CyberLife.” 

“Androids investigating androids, huh? You sure you want an android hanging around? After everything that happened...” Perkins asked you and Hank before you hissed at him, “He’s fine just where he is because he’s darn good at his detective work. Now if you’ll excuse us, Connor and I shall collect evidence for our local department, if you’ll step aside, Sir.” 

“With pleasure, sweetheart.” Perkins sneered while he shimmied to the side to let you and Connor pass before you whipped around with narrowed eyes seeing red and fists digging into your wrists so deep that your knuckles started to whiten like freshly fallen snow, “Call me that again and I’ll put my fist so far down your throat you’ll think you’re being swabbed for DNA evidence.” 

With that, you grabbed Connor’s wrist as you led him to the far side of the room, and before Perkins could make one more remark towards you, Hank advised against it with his finger wagging in front of the FBI agent’s face, “I wouldn’t keep provoking her if I were you, Special Agent. She’s a feisty one, just like her father, and she never makes a promise she can’t keep. Best to not be on the receiving end of her anger.” 

“The FBI will take over the investigation, and you’ll soon be off the case.” Perkins threatened Hank as the Lieutenant narrowed his baby blues at how arrogant this agent was before he shrugged while waving Perkins off as if the man was a nuisance insect buzzing around his head, “Pleasure meeting you. Have a nice day.” 

“And you should watch your step. Don’t mess up my crime scene.” Perkins threatened again as you shook your head from a distance, kneeling on the ground beside Connor to collect thirium evidence, while Hank shook his head and muttered under his breath about how much of a prick the agent was before you raised your voice, “Oh, and by the way, Special Agent Perkins, the exit for this building is up your arrogant ass and to the left.” 

With many heads turning at what you just said to an FBI AGENT, CSI teams and fellow Detroit officers couldn’t help but gasp with hands covering their mouths or giggle like schoolgirls under their breathes at how you took on someone of a higher rank in law enforcement before Perkins performed a 360 swivel on his heel, eyes wide and face fuming red as a resting face of hubris was starting to crack like glass with every dig you took at the man’s authority, “What did you just say to me?” 

“You heard me. I said it loud for a reason. We won’t mess up OUR crime scene because this is a local case. Unless it involves the crossing of state lines or federal crimes, it’s technically out of your jurisdiction, Special Agent. FBI is supposed to help local police as a team player, not hinder them by acting all high and mighty. Am I wrong?” 

“It would appear you’re smarter than you look, Sergeant. But when it involves deviants, it’s always a federal crime.”

“Well then, I guess you better hope deviancy doesn’t become decriminalized federally or else this remains our case in our jurisdiction.“ You smirked as the agent couldn’t say anything to combat every truth that flew out of your lips before you shooed him away with a wave of your hand, “You may leave now. My local law enforcement partners and I have this covered.” Clutching his fists together tightly by his sides, Perkins gave a small ‘Hmph’ under his breath as he shook his head and stormed out of the room like a toddler throwing a tantrum as hatred for you filled his every thought in his mental train. 

Once the special agent was gone, Hank couldn’t hold in a laugh anymore as he slapped his knee and walked towards the screen where the message was broadcast with a verbalized joke as he pointed an index finger your way, “I never thought he’d leave. That was a good one, (Name). A true smart ass like your old man.” 

“Well, I was tired of how he was treating you, Connor, and the rest of these fine people here. Someone had to bring him down a few notches.” You shrugged nonchalantly as if it was naturally the right thing to do before Connor thanked you kindly for how you stood up for him while you reciprocated his thanks with a declaration of ‘You’re welcome.’ Then, before Chris scurried off to another part of the room, he offered, “I’ll be nearby. If you need anything, just ask.”

“Thanks, Chris.” You waved kindly from the other side of the room with a smile before the man nodded back, “Anything for you and Hank, Sergeant silver tongue.” 

“And don’t you ever forget it.” You joked as you made finger gun gestures towards Chris and Hank with a wink of one eye before you and Connor finished collecting thirium from the floor, which seemed to match an android all too familiar to your boyfriend since he solved a hostage case involving one and a little girl months prior to meeting you and Hank. Analyzing the thirium and finding it to belong to a PL600, Connor relayed his findings back to you, causing your head to tilt to the side as your voice stuttered over what you just heard, “A male housekeeper and nanny android? Hmm, that’s strange considering they’re usually very nurturing, but I guess if they deviated, then anything’s possible.” 

“Let’s find some more evidence and then report back to Lieutenant Anderson.” 

“Of course, hon. I think I saw some bullet holes by the entrance to his room and along the doorway to the roof.” You pointed to the walls as Connor trailed behind you like a duckling before he analyzed the crime scene and tried to piece together what happened in the room. Reporting back to you that a .457 handgun was used in the crime, you thought back to previous recaps that Chris had given beforehand until a solitary memory struck a cord with you as you snapped your fingers together, “The two guards must’ve been disarmed before the deviants came in this room. Maybe two deviants were responsible for covering the other three.” 

“That seems like a likely possibility.” 

“Okay, so two of them were armed. The PL600 gets shot on their way to the roof. What kind of other guns were used?” You asked your partner before he answered, “A SWAT team swarmed this room.”

“That makes sense considering one of the employees escaped. He must’ve called for them to apprehend the deviants, causing them to scramble to the roof...”

“Resulting in the PL600 getting shot, just as you said before.” 

“Then, Chris said they jumped off the roof with parachutes but we can’t find any tracks because of all the heavy snow.” You pieced together the puzzle with a smile on your face as you and Connor got one step closer to solving the pattern of deviancy in androids across Detroit. Then, you looked to the gargantuan TV screen in the room as you noticed the keypad before suggesting, “The CCTV cameras. Someone would’ve had to have seen those deviants come to the door. We need a look at those tapes as well as the message they broadcast and a full sweep of the roof.” 

“Great idea, Sergeant.” Connor congratulated you as a smile graced your face at his praise before he analyzed the scene, “The speech was shot from here. One of the five controlled the cameras and the leader was the one giving the speech.”

“Great work, Con. Now, let’s listen to his message and check the security cameras.” You replied as you ushered the android over to you, waiting for him to cue up the recording to avoid cross-contamination of your DNA on the crime scene as a soothing voice spoke, “We ask that you recognize our dignity, our hopes, and our rights. Together, we can live in peace and build a better future, for humans and androids. This message is the hope of a people. You gave us life, and now, the time has come for you to give us freedom.”

“Think that’s RA9?” Hank asked from behind you and Connor as the deep voice startled you away from watching the compelling message while your boyfriend seemed entranced by the android in front of him on the screen before he answered, “Deviants say RA9 will set them free.“

“Could be our guy.” You nodded in agreement with your godfather and boyfriend as Connor scanned the video for clues in regards to the identity of the android that was believed to be the one and only RA9. After scanning both eyes and the cheek, Connor continued to stare up at the screen as you and Hank looked to him for answers before the white-haired man interrogated his partner, “D’you see something?” 

“I identified its model and serial number.”

“Anything else I should know?” Hank asked as he looked to Connor, finding the android to be unresponsive to the man’s question as the RK800 faltered in his answer with a stutter, “N-No...Nothing.” Staring in confusion with baby blues sparkling at Connor’s hesitation and his enchantment by the spell of who everyone thought was RA9, Hank wondered if deviancy had affected his partner, if maybe all that mumbo-jumbo about androids being alive with a right to freedom applied to Connor. Hank decided to ponder on these imaginings from afar as he left you and Connor alone before you placed a gentle hand on the android’s shoulder, a soft voice reaching out to your boyfriend, “Con, hon...You okay?” 

“Yes, I’m alright, (Name). Just lost in my own thoughts, I suppose. Where were we?” Connor shook himself off as he smiled down at you kindly before you reminded him, “The CCTV cameras and the androids we have to interrogate in the kitchen.” 

“Right. Lead the way, love.” Connor suggested as you went to the far right keyboard as you put on some gloves that you requested from a nearby CSI team member before you pressed play on the machine. Giving Connor enough time to scan the video, you and him pieced together the puzzle as to what exactly happened in this crime scene before Connor turned to Chris with a surprised question, “They didn’t break in?”

“No, no sign of forced entry.” Chris shook his head as you replied, “Connor and I found CCTV cameras in the hallways, so every employee in here would’ve seen the deviants entering. Why did they get access in here?” 

“Maybe they didn’t check the cameras.” Hank shrugged from behind you and Connor as your boyfriend noticed the swivel chair in front of him. Upon further inspection by turning it around and looking at the writing on the back, you and Connor could only come to one conclusion about what happened: An android employee was watching the cameras and most likely let the deviants inside. Therefore, the possibility of an accomplice on the inside was statistically high. 

Deciding to check the entrance to the roof as well as the roof itself for any evidence up there before interrogating the androids in the kitchen, you and Connor shimmied past CSI teams and other members of law enforcement as you noticed a baseball cap from an android station uniform on the ground, hastily discarded and most likely stolen. Shortly afterwards, you both climbed the metal staircase with Hank in tow before the older man remarked, “They made their way up through the whole building, past all the guards, and jumped on the roof with parachutes.”

“That’s amazing, like something out of a Mission Impossible film.” You commented as Hank nodded in agreement before Connor tapped your shoulder, drawing your attention to some thirium on some metal boxes on the roof, which was found to come from a PL600 after the male android’s internal analysis. Walking a little further towards the edge of the roof, Hank managed to stumble across a black duffle bag covered in snow as you dusted it off with your glove-covered hands before your father figure interrogated your boyfriend, “How’d they manage to smuggle in a big bag like that?”

“They didn’t. Someone brought it in for them.” Connor remarked back while checking every inch of the bag before you looked to Hank and brought forth your own conclusions, “Connor and I have reason to believe an android employee let them in the studio to record the message and provided them with an escape by parachute. We plan to interrogate the androids in the kitchen to find out who is the accomplice.” 

“Oh, that’s strange.” Hank raised an eyebrow as he pointed to the inside of the duffle bag with his index finger, “They planned a perfect operation but got the number of parachutes wrong.” After making his conclusions known to you and Connor, your boyfriend took a repose to gather his thoughts before he gasped, “Unless one of the deviants was left behind. 

“Could be the accomplice in the kitchen.” You shrugged as Connor nodded back, “We’ll find out soon enough.” 

Checking the edge of the roof for clues, Connor found footprints for only four people, indicating that only four people jumped. After investigating the edge for any fingerprints and other vital information, you could visibly see Connor shake as his face indicated a phobia of heights before he took a big gulp through his throat and backed away from the edge quickly, fearful that he’d fall to his death. You could only imagine that this phobia had something to do with the hostage situation Connor was involved in months before meeting you and Hank, which made perfect sense due to the fact that he tried to save a girl on the roof of a high rise apartment complex. 

Heading back to the door, you and Connor noticed it was locked from the outside as your boyfriend scanned it, finding that a deviant had hacked the door to block it, most likely to stop the SWAT team from breaking it down. Once Connor managed to get it open, you informed a CSI team member that it was locked from the outside to avoid surprise at not being able to get back inside the broadcast room as the woman nodded in her white suit and promised to relay the message to the others. 

Pacing towards the kitchen for your last task of interrogating the androids, you and Connor were stopped by a tender voice that called out, “Connor?” With a slow turn of his head, your boyfriend gazed at the African-American officer as if searching his memory banks for anything that could trigger him as to who this man was before the officer tried to jog Connor’s memory for him with clues, “You remember me? I was on the terrace...That android that took that little girl hostage? I was shot; you saved me.” 

With wide eyes and a gasp escaping his lips under his breath, Connor quelled the officer’s anxiety with the next few words as you watched intently with kind eyes, “I remember you.” 

With a soft smile, the officer continued his speech as you looked to Connor and the officer while taking in the whole story, “I could’ve died on that terrace, but you saved my life. I never thought I’d say this to an android but...thank you.” With a soft nod and an even brighter grin, Connor’s brown eyes sparkled while you and the officer grinned at the male android before the officer bid you two goodbye and scurried off to another side of the broadcast room to discuss something with Chris. Once the officer was gone, you looked to Connor in awe at hearing that side of the story and how it impacted a human before you remarked, “You never told me you saved a fellow officer that day you saved that girl from that PL600.” 

“You never asked.” Connor joked as you giggled into your hand before you replied, “How sweet of you, Connor. You really do have a good heart.” 

“That means a lot coming from you, (Name). Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” You nodded as you brought Connor’s hand into yours, giving a gentle kiss out of view of everyone else in the room while the male android could feel his thirium pump beating faster and his body heating up steadily. And if you looked closely, you could’ve sworn a rosy hue appeared on Connor’s cheeks as quick as a flash. 

Making your way to the three identical androids who were lined up against the back wall with their hands clasped in front of them, you and Connor decided to try a friendly approach first to keep the androids calm as your motherly side came out through your tone and your posture, “Greetings, my name is Sergeant (Surname) and this is my partner, Connor. We just want to ask you a few questions so we can move this investigation along. If you answer honestly, I promise this will all be over soon. None of you are in trouble unless you aided and abetted the deviants.” 

Looking to the android on the far right, Connor decided to ask the first question while you waited behind him, “State your model.” 

“Model JB300, serial number 336-445-581.” The far-right android answered before Connor turned to the android in the middle with the second question, “What is your function?”

“I am a broadcast operator.” The second android answered before you and Connor noticed the far-left android staring at you both out of the corner of his eye. It seemed rather suspicious since the other androids didn’t lose eye contact with Connor but the moment you and your boyfriend started asking questions, his eyes diverted. This suggested to you and Connor that he might be hiding something, so your boyfriend decided to interrogate him next, “Have you been in contact with any other androids recently?” 

“Only station androids in the normal course of my function.” The far-left android answered before Connor turned back to the far-right android in the hopes of seeing if the far-left android really was diverting his gaze suspiciously, “Were you present when the deviants broke in?” 

“I do not remember.” 

“Has anybody accessed your memory recently?” Connor turned to the far-left android again as they answered, “Not to my knowledge.” 

“Run a diagnostic.” Connor commanded the middle android as their eyes blinked into the back of their head before they answered back, “All systems fully operational.” 

A third time, the far-left android’s eyes diverted each time you and Connor questioned the other androids. This was a tell-tale sign that either this android was the accomplice or he knew who the accomplice was. Therefore, you decided to pull Connor aside out of earshot of the androids as you whispered into your boyfriend’s ear to get him on the same page as you, “Connor, I think the JB300 on the far left is the accomplice. Let’s turn up the heat and see if he’ll crack a confession. Good cop, bad cop again?” 

With a small nod, Connor decided to whisper into your ear as he suggested, “Great idea, Sergeant. Normal roles as before?” Giving another silent nod to your partner, you and Connor turned back around towards the androids as your boyfriend played the bad cop, “One of you saw the attack on the security cameras and said nothing, which means there is a deviant in this room, and my partner and I are going to find out which it is.”

“Please come forward. It will lead to less consequences and less jail time. Connor and I promise you won’t be harmed by the humans if you tell us the truth. I wouldn’t be saying this if I wasn’t speaking the truth.” You suggested as you played the good cop before Connor paced the room angrily, “Why should you all be destroyed if only one is deviant? Turn yourself in or two innocent androids will be shut down because of you.” Then, getting into the face of the middle android, Connor’s volume seemed to raise with every word while you stood behind him to look out for any reaction from the far-left android, “You’re going to be switched off. We’re gonna search your memory and tear you apart piece by piece for analysis. You’re doing to be destroyed. Do you hear me?! DESTROYED!” 

Finally, turning to the far-left JB300, Connor held out his hand as if he was going to probe the male android for any clues in his memories before the JB300 went on the offensive.

“CONNOR!” You screamed as you raced from behind your partner to defend Connor from the JB300. With a frog leap in-between the android and Connor, you lifted your fists and forearms in front of you to defend yourself and your partner   
before a sharp, searing pain entered your arm. Crimson as far as the eye could see dripped down your arm in lines like rain on a window as you crumpled to the floor on your knees and recovered from the shock to realize what just happened. The JB300 had grabbed a knife from a nearby table and slashed at you, even though the target was really Connor. 

“(NAME)!” Your boyfriend shouted as he saw how much you were currently in. You needed medical attention immediately. In fact, you needed the wound covered and disinfected. However, Connor knew you would want him to stop the deviant first and finish the case to the end, so he turned his attention to the JB300 who was charging full steam ahead with the knife as he attempted defensive maneuvers to get away from the deviant and get back to you. However, knowing you were hurt was the perfect distraction for his mind as Connor missed one attack, resulting in his thirium pump being ripped from his chest as the male android let loose a strangled grunt while thirium dowsed Connor’s ivory button-down as if he was shot with a paintball gun. Giving one last look at you as you laid on the ground, pretending to be dead from blood loss in the hopes that the JB300 would leave you and Connor alone, the deviant looked at your boyfriend as he held the knife over his head before he brought it down hard into Connor’s hand. Screaming to the high heavens like Jesus did when he was nailed to the cross, Connor’s vision began to blur as he saw the deviant back out of the kitchen slowly before dropping the thirium pump on the ground as he took off down the hallway. 

Once you were sure the coast was clear, you worked your way from your knees to your feet, using a nearby kitchen chair to lean your weight onto as you cradled your bleeding arm in your free hand, before you raced to see if your boyfriend was alright. Grabbing his face with both hands as you tended to him, you shook Connor a little as you worried he was passing out from thirium loss, which was evident by his LED flashing crimson on his temple and how   
he was weakly screaming out for help as if he had laryngitis, “(Name)...Hank...” 

“Con, I’m here, hon. Everything’s gonna be okay.” 

“(Name)...Help...My thirium pump...Get my thirium pump.” Connor pleaded as he weakly tried to pull the knife out of his hand while you looked around the room like a chicken with its head cut off, searching desperately for the pump since you knew Connor would die within minutes without it. Then, out of the corner of your eye, you noticed the pump on the floor, shining blue and pulsing like the beats of a heart. Scrambling to grab it off the floor by sliding to your hands and knees, you hurried back to Connor with the speed of a competitive professional trying to win the biggest relay race of their lives before your boyfriend urged, “We need to get the deviant...Quick, put the thirium pump back in my chest before I shut down.”

“Hold still. This may hurt a little.” You warned prettily as you held the pump close to Connor’s chest before the brunette shook his head with a weak smirk, “It won’t because you know me and how my heart beats only for you.” 

“Okay, here goes nothing.” You remarked as you pushed the pump into Connor’s chest as far back as it would go before the man groaned brokenly. Collapsing limp against the counter, Connor’s LED flashed to yellow as you shook him with eyes becoming glassy at the possibility of your boyfriend dying on the job before you brokenly whispered, “Connor?...Connor?” Blinking his chocolate orbs a couple times to catch his bearings, Connor looked to you warmly as you reciprocated with your own gentle grin before you hugged the android tightly around the shoulders, caring not if blood and thirium got on your clothes, remarking that you were glad to see him alive. Remarking that he was glad you were okay as well, Connor looked to the knife still in his hand as he suggested, “Quick, help me out of this.” 

“Together on three...One...two...THREE!” You shouted as you wrapped your blood and thirium-soaked hands around the knife’s handle alongside Connor’s one free hand before the weapon came free from the counter. Dropping the knife to the ground, you and Connor took off down the hallway at the speed of light as you avoided law enforcement officers, FBI agents, and CSI team members before you drew your gun and held it up at the deviant with a forceful declaration, “Hold it right there!” 

“It’s a deviant! Stop it!” Connor shouted out to warn everyone in the hallway to the elevator as Hank’s baby blues perked up with the psychological and physiological reaction of fight-or-flight. Choosing to guard Chris by standing in front of him, Hank was prepared to draw his gun as the deviant grabbed a gun from a nearby officer. Aiming the weapon directly at you, the JB300 was prepared to fire every round into you and the other officers until Connor gasped and grabbed your gun from your iron grip. Standing his ground like a shield in front of you as you warned for your partner to watch out, Connor let loose two bullets as the deviant staggered back fell to its knees, successfully dropping the gun. Handing your gun back to you as you secured the weapon back in your hip holster, Connor took off his silvery tie and held out his hand to you. Taking his hand in yours, Connor wrapped the thin cloth around your bleeding forearm and dominant hand like a makeshift bandage before he pat your covered skin tenderly with a small grin and a wink of one eye that seemed to only be noticed by you. 

Coming out of cover as the deviant was surrounded by armed officers, Hank went to you and Connor’s side as the older man put his hand on your shoulder, “You okay, (Name)?” 

“Yeah, just a flesh wound. Connor’s tie will make a good bandage until I can get a proper doctor to tend to it.” You replied as you grinned at Hank, who grinned back at you warmly when he realized you would be alright, before he turned to Connor, “Nice shot, Connor.” 

“I wanted it alive. Besides, he would’ve shot (Name).” Connor remarked matter-of-factly with coldness in his tone and eyes as he stared at the JB300, his hand clutching your unharmed wrist tightly to ground himself while you moved your free hand up to grab his hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. Letting each other’s hands go, you and Connor turned to Hank as the white-haired Lieutenant remarked with grace, “You saved human lives...You saved my life and (Name)’s.” 

“Great job, Con.” You congratulated the male android with a pat to his thirium-coated chest as Connor nodded back at you before he politely instructed some nearby officers to take the JB300 away. With that, you and Connor decided to head to the nearest ER after Hank ordered you both to take it easy and get your arm checked out. All the while, Connor never let go of your hand and never left your side as the nurse disinfected your arm and bandaged it properly before she sent you two on your way. Afterwards, you and Connor returned to the station to look over the evidence for a little bit while awaiting Hank’s return from Stratford Tower, in which time you changed into an extra pair of clothes that you stored in a work locker and took off your makeup with makeup wipes you also had stored in the locker. Hour upon countless hour ticked by with burying yourself into your work until Connor deemed you too tired to work any longer when you started to yawn more than read evidence logs. With permission from Captain Fowler and Lieutenant Anderson, Connor filed his report digitally with CyberLife and took you home by driving your car while Hank hitched a ride back with Chris. After unlocking your door and checking the house to make sure there were no intruders, Connor carried your sleeping form bridal-style into your home and locked the door behind him after setting you down on the couch. Picking you back up bridal-style, Connor took you to your bedroom as he laid you down on the bed and covered you with a blanket before he crawled under the blanket and snuggled close to you. Wrapping his arms and legs around you like a koala on a branch, Connor kissed your cheek before he closed his eyes and powered down to allow himself time to rest. After a couple hours of sleep, your eyes fluttered open as you noticed Connor sleeping beside you. Thinking back to all that your boyfriend had done for you today on the job and outside of work, you found a pleasant smile gracing your face and tears forming in your eyes as you leaned forward to kiss Connor’s cheek before you went back to sleep.


	19. DBH Markus x Fem! Reader - A Creation of his Own

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: 
> 
> Greetings again! Here’s another Markus oneshot for you guys for being so patient in following this story. I hope everyone likes it and I will continue to churn out more Connor and Markus oneshots that coincide with Detroit: Become Human as fast as I can so you, the viewer, can read them. 
> 
> This oneshot corresponds with the Painter, so I included a YouTube Link below. I also included another link that will help visualize a special item given to the female reader. 
> 
> YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/nDXYUqapJ1Q
> 
> Ring Inspiration: https://fasqu.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/women-ladies-rings-fashion-thin-blue-line-tungsten-opal-ring-within-thin-blue-line-wedding-bands.jpg

Like a warm spotlight finding its prima donna before her grand debut, sunlight crept through the darkest corners of the bedroom you and Markus shared, bathing the walls and furniture with golden beams and accompanying warmth. Squinting at the sudden brightness that interrupted your peaceful slumber, irises of (Eye Color) scanned the room as a single tan arm tightened around your waist and a second tan hand squeezed the palm of yours that it cradled. Smiling down at arms and hands that could only ever belong to your beloved android boyfriend, you turned over to watch him in his resting mode. This wasn’t the first time you had ever seen him vulnerable like this as you cuddled together in the course of your relationship, but every time you managed to wake up before him, it was always a welcome sight. You just couldn’t help but internally squeal at how adorable Markus was in this slumbering form as his eyelids fluttered rapidly while still remaining closed, chest moving with every fake breath as if he was a real human. If only Beauty and the Beast were true and an enchantress could turn Markus into a human using a rose and a spell, then you and him wouldn’t have to live in fear about your relationship together. But for now, you would savor every private moment with Markus behind the protective walls of the Manfred household. 

Noticing he was still fast asleep, you did your best to avoid waking Markus up since you took a whole week’s vacation off after working overtime for long hours at the hospital with your many patients, many of them recently being red ice addicts who were actively and voluntarily seeking out help. Deciding to take advantage of your vacation before Carl had to be woken up, you decided to surprise Markus by taking over some of his chores for the day as you slithered out of his iron grip with the utmost care and stealth. Aligning your face with his, you pressed a gentle, warm kiss to Markus’s temple close to his blue LED. The feeling of something so featherlight and velvety seemed to soothe him as he relaxed into the bed, clutching to the pillow your head had once reclined upon, before you threw on a black shirt with elbow-length sleeves that belonged to Markus to cover your body, which was nothing but your birthday suit except for a pair of underwear. Sitting on top of your smaller frame, the shirt was more like a T-shirt dress as it reached about half an inch from the top of your knee cap. However, it was so warm and soft like the fluffiest blanket, with Markus’s scent perfuming the cotton V-neck. Therefore, you had no qualms about borrowing it since Markus didn’t mind when you wore his clothes. After fixing your messy hair with the mirror as a reference to your current condition, you took one last glance at Markus with a grin on your face before you tip-toed downstairs to make you and Carl some breakfast but also help Markus out with his chores. 

An hour had passed by and when Markus reached for your side of the bed again, his hand tapped the sheets in a frenzied panic, desperately trying to clutch to his girlfriend only to find your sleeping spot empty and freezing. With peridot eyes snapping open, his gaze darted around the room in search of you before he noticed that the bedroom door was wide open. Throwing on one of his black, elbow-length shirts to compliment his long pants, Markus left the bedroom to find you. Rounding the staircase with his hands by his sides as his feet tapped against the smooth, cool floor like he was jogging in his descent, Markus looked to the left and right before the pleasant perfume of morning wafted through the gargantuan mansion. Figuring you were in the kitchen, Markus took a left past the wall mirror, side table, and bird cage full of android birds, you were in Markus’s full view, shoveling sunny-side up eggs out of the pan and onto two plates for you and Carl alongside crispy strips of bacon with a spatula. 

With a soft smile, Markus snuck up from behind you as he placed his large hands over your eyes, blinding you from your task. Rubbing up your arms and hands to grasp his palms, you let out a light chuckle as you peeled Markus’s hands away from your eyes. Turning around to face his smiling face as giggles escaped your shoulders, the male android greeted you with a tender kiss worthy of a fairytale, “Good morning, Princess.”

“Good morning, my Westley.” You giggled with Markus’s special nickname as you wrapped your arms around his strong neck with a reciprocation of the kiss, allowing the man to lift you off your feet and onto his feet, like a father teaching his daughter how to dance for the first time, as he sat you down with the utmost care. Feeling the coolness of the surface on your thighs, it caused you to giggle into you and Markus’s kiss while skin receptors alerted you to the fact that you were ticklish as he chuckled too, seeing you as the cutest human and only girlfriend he had ever had in his life. It fluttered Markus’s thirium pump a beat or two as his facial expression showed elation at having you as a girlfriend, so much so that he couldn’t even believe it for himself. He desperately needed a pinch to the arm to make sure his memory logs weren’t playing with him or that he surely wasn’t dreaming. But as he felt your warmth and heard your laugh or felt your hair’s softness in his fingers and saw your truest beauty, it confirmed to Markus that you were real and you were his one and only. 

Continuing to savor the kiss, you eventually had to pull away as oxygen left your lungs all too quickly. Smiling up at Markus as you traced every freckle on his cheeks and nose with your dominant hand, a tan hand grabbed your hand as he cupped it around his cheek, savoring your warmth with closed eyes before he kissed the inside of your palm. With glassy eyes between the two of you, you reciprocated by kissing the fingers that Markus brushed against your skin as they traced every curve and dip of your face before swiping a few strands of hair out of your face and behind your ear. Then, holding hands as you both stared at each other, Markus let go of your hands before he announced, “I have some chores I must attend to before I wake up Carl later, (Name). Would you like to accompany me before or after you eat your breakfast?” 

“I actually cleaned up the art studio before cooking Carl and I’s breakfast. I wanted to surprise you so we could spend more time together this morning since I don’t get to see you when I’m working except in the morning and evening.” You answered as the android’s eyes widened. He knew you were a kind-hearted human in all the time that he knew you, even before he began dating you. He even knew you were helpful and hard-working, as evidenced by your credentials and long employment. But the fact that a human helped their android caretaker (and boyfriend) with their chores without being asked to, it fluttered Markus’s thirium pump and brought tears to the corners of his eyes as he nodded his head, “Well, that’s so sweet of you. Thank you, (Name).”

“You’re welcome, Markus.” You replied before you grabbed your boyfriend’s hand, beckoning him to sit down at the table with you so you could talk as you ate your breakfast. Conversations of books, music, art, and games of chess filled the room as you and Markus were articulate and passionate about your viewpoints. A book recommendation that you gave to Markus really peaked his interest and after a few days on and off, he finished the book and gave his summary to you. Overall, Markus loved the book and counted it as one of his favorites, causing you to smile as you hugged the android around the shoulders. You also recounted to Markus that you had been practicing what he taught you on piano and that you would demonstrate your acquired talent in training for him when Carl woke up. This too caused Markus to smile as he expressed how proud he was of you before he handed you a tiny, black velvet box. Looking down at the box with a raised eyebrow and a confused grin that you somehow managed to maintain, you gazed at Markus for clarification before responding with, “What’s this for? It’s not my birthday yet.”

“You had a surprise for me, so now I have a surprise for you.”

“Well, I feel bad that I didn’t get you a gift, my Westley.” 

“You won’t feel bad when you see what it is.” Markus replied as he grabbed your hand and gave it a tight squeeze before continuing, “I know this is something humans usually do with other humans and I’m an android. However, I won’t deny how I feel about you since I want to spend my life with you.” 

“And I want to spend my life with you too.” You grinned as Markus grinned back before he got down on the ground and opened the box while staying upright on a single bended knee. This revelation stirred up the waterworks in you as you used your napkin to wipe your eyes while your free hand covered your mouth. Your mind was reeling from the shock but also the awe of an android asking you this one loaded question as Markus began his speech, “(Name), you are the best thing that ever happened to me and there’s no one I’d rather spend my time and life with than you and Carl, but especially you. I want to love and take care of you just as you’ve done for me. You complete me and give my life meaning. I don’t care what the humans think of our relationship because allI I care about is you. So, I have one question for you, if you’re willing to hear it...(Name) (Middle Name) Manfred, will you be my wife?” 

With a soft click as the box opened, a beautiful ring was revealed to your private eyes. A thick silver band shone in the sunlight emitting from the window near the chess board as the bright spark seemed to wink at you from up close. But the middle of the band was what surprised you the most and had you clutching your mouth with your open palm as its very existence reminded you so much of your Markus. A glowing blue LED made up the centerpiece of the band and its radiance seemed to be a beacon for even the darkest places on Earth as tears exited your eyes and a smile graced your face, further solidifying your answer, Yes, Markus. 200 times, yes!” 

“Yes?” Markus asked in surprise at your answer with his LED spinning yellow to indicate he was still reeling his mind around your choice before you continued to nod and repeat the word ‘yes.’ You had never seen that android work so fast until you saw him pop that ring out of the box and slip it onto your left ring finger. It was so cute and hilarious to watch Markus be so flustered that you said yes to an android’s marriage proposal, which caused you to laugh as you twisted your hand back and forth to look at the ring from different angles before you hugged your boyfriend and pulled him in for a kiss. Reciprocating back as he brought you down onto the floor with him, Markus continued to cradle you with strong arms around your shoulders and splayed across your back as your hands roamed behind his neck to stroke the back of his head. Once you pulled away, you looked at the ring once more before you asked Markus, “How did you get this ring? Surely I don’t think humans would let an android purchase a ring unless it was an order placed by their human owners.”

“I may or may not have confided in Carl and he may or may not have asked his best friend Kamski for a favor.” Markus revealed sheepishly with a blue blush forming on his cheeks as he scratched the back of his head, your eyes widened by what your boyfriend just said, “So the famous android inventor Kamski made the ring?”

“Yeah. But Carl helped me design it with your and my preferences in mind. Carl presented the finished artwork to Kamski, he made the ring using an extra LED he had when he created me, and then he sent the ring to Carl thinking it was a gift for you from your great uncle. So yes, this is my LED so I’m always with you no matter where you go.” Then, showing you his left hand, Markus gazed into your (Eye Color) orbs with his peridot ones before he asked you, “What do you see on my left hand?”

“Ummm...a silver band.” You replied after squinting to find something only to come to short before Markus put his hand back down and nodded, “Correct. Carl also requested that Kamski make this as well as another ‘gift’ for you to match the ring I had Carl help me with. Now we really are bonded by a secret marriage.” 

“It’s absolutely beautiful and thoughtful, Markus. I can’t believe you would want to create something so intricate for me. You put a lot of thought into this and it really shows. Thank you so much.” You replied as you kissed Markus’s cheek while he gave you a nod and a ‘you’re welcome’ before kissing you right back on your cheek. 

After finishing your breakfast and cleaning up after yourself, Markus told you that he had to pick up a paint order at Bellini’s for Carl since you had helped him finish his other chores. In this way, Markus could finish his chores early and have more time to spend with you and Carl during the day if he left sooner than later. Helping Markus with his jacket, you promised to wait up for him by practicing your piano while he was gone and that you couldn’t wait for his return. With a few final kisses, Markus headed outside the home before he made a remark followed by a mischievous smirk, “Oh, and by the way. You look beautiful today, (Name), especially when you borrow my clothes. But it would behoove the clothes to stay on the rack so I can truly see you for all of you.”

“Oh, you silly android! You’re just like that womanizer Uncle Carl!” You giggled as you slapped Markus’s bicep, causing him to throw his head back with an innocent chuckle before he replied that he loved you as you reciprocated with the same phrase. Then, shutting the door behind you and locking it back, you headed into the living room towards the piano as you stretched out your arms and fingers. Pulling up sheet music for a song on the screen, you hovered your fingers above the ivories and ebonies as a deep breath escaped your lips, a soft melody entering the home as it spread across the stairs and through the walls. 

Another hour passed until Markus came back, and you knew your boyfriend was back as soon as you heard the feminine chirp of the alarm with her personalized catchphrase, “Alarm deactivated. Welcome home, Markus.” Setting the paint order down on the side table near the bird cage and the kitchen door, Markus took off his jacket and placed it back on the rack while you snuck behind the wall, peeking out your head like a wack-a-mole, before you ran to Markus with open arms and a big kiss to his temple. Smiling down at you with peridot irises glassy and sparkling, Markus stroked his hands into your long hair before settling his palms by your ears so he could smooch your forehead before kissing your lips once more. Clutching to Markus’s hands as you massaged the soft synthetic skin that felt so real and warm, you noticed that something was off about his pants and his shirt as your (Eye Color) eyes narrowed and your (light/dark) eyebrows rose. There was a microscopic tear in his pants leg close to his right knee and signs of dirt on his shirt, and this puzzled you since Markus didn’t have these obvious signs of struggle on him when he left the house today. That’s why it was no wonder you went into protective mode and questioned your boyfriend about it, “Markus, my sweet Westley, who did this to you?”

“Oh, it’s nothing, (Name). Just some anti-android protestors.” 

“Oh my gosh! Are you sure you’re okay? Do you have any other injuries? Where else did they hurt you?” You gasped with your hand over your mouth as hawk eyes scanned Markus over for any other abnormalities that he didn’t have until after he came home to you before the male android grabbed your shoulders to calm you down, massaging the smooth skin under the black shirt, as he responded with a small grin, “Yes, Princess, I’m alright. They just pushed me on the ground a couple times and bad-mouthed me and my kind. Otherwise, they didn’t do anything else.” 

“They have no right to hurt you or anyone else for that matter. We can always call the police and make a report that they assaulted our caretaker android.” 

“An officer managed to deescalate the situation before it got worse and that made them stop. I promise I’m alright.”

“You sure?” You asked with saddened eyes as you subconsciously bit your bottom lip, concern over your boyfriend’s wellbeing coursing through your veins as Markus noticed a heightened level of cortisol and adrenaline as well as lowered levels of GABA in your bloodstream and the rest of your body. To lower your panic over his condition, Markus did everything possible to keep you calm as he nodded and kissed your cheek, “100% positive. Now, I have to wake up your great uncle. You wanna come with?”

“Sure. I always like seeing Uncle Carl in the mornings too. You and him make the best company.” You nodded as you gripped Markus’s hand and trotted up the staircase before entering Carl’s room together. Making your way to the bed, you sat down on one edge of the mattress as you called out in a motherly whisper, “Uncle Carl, time to get up.” All this elicited was a tired, annoyed moan from Carl, who was never a morning person in all the time you and others knew him, which caused you to snort under your breath as you covered your mouth before Markus went to the window to draw back the curtains. 

With a sudden flash of light inside the room, Carl’s eyes fluttered open as he tried to shield his face from the golden sunbeams before Markus greeted his patient with a gentle smile, “Good morning, Carl. It’s ten AM. The weather is party cloudy, fifty-four degrees, eighty percent humidity with a strong possibility of afternoon showers.” 

“It sounds like a good day to spend in bed...” Carl joked as you giggled while Markus answered, “I did go to pick up the paint you ordered. And (Name) helped clean up the studio and cook breakfast this morning.” 

“Oh yes! I’d forgotten. That is the difference between you and me, right, Markus? You never forget anything...And (Name), you are so kind-hearted and thoughtful.” Carl replied as he grabbed your hand, giving it a tight squeeze before patting and kissing the palm, as you nodded with your own smile, “Thank you, Uncle Carl.” 

“Show me your arm, please, Carl.” Markus commanded as he clicked the syringe together to give the elderly man his medicine before Carl joked again, “No!”

“Carl...” Markus warned as the man sighed with a surrender of his arm before the android smiled again, “Thank you.” 

“I just opened my eyes and I’m already gritting my teeth...Humans are such a fragile machine. They break down so quickly...All this effort to keep ‘em going...” Carl lamented at his current condition due to natural aging as you and Markus exchanged a sad look at each other, knowing that one day Carl would die. It scared you both to think of what life would be like without Carl since he was such a joy to be around. But what scared Markus the most was the thought of you dying, which caused his LED to turn yellow and red as it spun on his temple as his peridot eyes went glassy. He loved you so much and wanted to keep you forever, but he knew that it wasn’t possible due to the passage of time and your human condition. That’s why you and Markus wanted to savor each moment with Carl but also with each other because the inevitable was unavoidable. 

However, these somber thoughts were soon interrupted by Carl noticing things about Markus that you noticed in your boyfriend as he asked, “Hey, what happened to your clothes?” 

“Oh, it’s nothing. Like I told (Name), it was just some demonstrators in the street, Carl.” 

“What a bunch of idiots. They think they can stop progress by roughing up a few androids? I hope they didn’t harm you and that they never harm you and (Name) if they ever saw you out together in public.”

“Oh, no. No...They just pushed me around, Carl. I’m fine.” Markus replied as he finished administering the medicine to Carl before he nodded, “Okay, I’ll take you to the bathroom now.” Picking the elderly man up bridal style, Markus carried him off to the bathroom before you replied, “I’ll give you two some privacy. I’ll be waiting outside the room since I want to surprise you guys with my piano skills that Markus helped me improve on.”

“I can’t wait to hear it. We’ll be right down.” Carl promised as you walked outside the room before the man asked his android, “So, did you manage to give her the ring?”

“Yes, Carl.”

“And? What did she say?” 

“She said and I quote, ‘Yes, Markus, 200 times, yes.’ And she believed it was so thoughtful and creative of you and me to help make a custom engagement ring for her.” 

“Well, good. So, how’s it feel being a fiancé?”

“Absolutely perfect.” Markus nodded with a smile as Carl chuckled with his own grin too before a couple minutes passed by. Shortly afterwards, Carl was fully dressed and in his wheelchair as Markus wheeled him to the chair lift on the staircase and hooked him in before he walked hand-in-hand with you. In the meantime, Carl began asking you and Markus questions on his descent down the staircase, “Anything special on the agenda today?”

“Yes, there’s the opening of your retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art. The gallery director left four messages asking to confirm your attendance.” Markus replied before Carl shrugged, “I haven’t decided yet. We’ll see about that later.” 

“Okay.”

“What else?”

“Just your usual fan mail. I’ve already answered.” 

“Any news from Leo?” Carl asked with a sense of grief in his tone, as if he wasn’t a good father to his son and wished he could’ve done better, before you shook your head sadly at the current predicament of your beloved great uncle,   
“No, Uncle Carl. But either Markus or I could call him if you want us to. I can call him right now if you really need to speak to him.” 

“No. No, don’t bother.” Carl shook his head as he got off the chair lift and was wheeled into the dining room by Markus before he remarked, “I’m starving.”

“Well, your breakfast is ready. Bacon and eggs, just the way you like them.” Markus replied before you apologized, “I managed to get up earlier to eat breakfast with Markus before he went to get the paint order. So it appears that you might be eating alone this morning. Sorry, Uncle Carl.” 

“That’s alright, (Name). I know how much you like to spend your mornings with Markus before work or on a day off.” Carl soothed your nerves as he grinned at you before giving a mischievous smirk and wink, causing you to cover your face as a red blush appeared while the elder man chuckled under his breath. Then, wheeling himself to the table, Carl looked to Markus as the android helped put the man’s napkin in his lap and pour his coffee for him before he grinned, “And thank you, Markus.” 

“You’re welcome.” 

“Television.” Carl replied as the television began to report a recent news story that sent chills down the spines of many in this day and age, “Tensions continue to rise in the Arctic since Russia unilaterally declared the region part of its national territory. Several Russian warships have taken position in the Barents Sea since Saturday and a Russian flag now flies over the ice field.” 

“Why don’t you and (Name) find something to do while I finish my breakfast?” Carl asked of you and your boyfriend while the male android nodded,   
“Sure, okay, Carl.” Grabbing Markus’s hand again as you whispered a suggestion into his ear, Carl noticed his android nod with a small smile on his face before you both sat down at the piano. Deciding to pay more attention to you two instead of the television that aggravated him with its dreariness, causing him to turn it off with a sigh at the state of the world, Carl finished his breakfast in silence aside from the two of you talking and setting up the piano for a duet. Pulling up the sheet music that you requested, Markus sat down on one end of the piano and you on the other to handle all the notes of the song as you both hovered your fingers over the ivories and ebonies. Then, with Markus’s first note, you began playing your note as a melody and its accompanying harmony was heard. With his low-end notes and your high-end ones, a perfect piano duet was formed as Carl listened intently. It was an absolutely pleasant surprise to hear such a beautiful rendition like that, considering you were once a beginner who only knew piano and music reading basics just a couple years ago until Markus improved on your skills. It also had to be considered that Markus was an android a couple years ago until he started acting more like a human every day he spent with you and Carl. It brought a pleasant smile to the elderly man’s visage as he chuckled under his breath and finished his last bite of eggs and sip of coffee before he wheeled himself over to you and your fiancé to listen to the last few remnants of the song, which was accompanied by you making up song lyrics to something that was originally instrumental as Markus leaned over and kissed your cheek to make you laugh before singing along with you, who kissed him back on the cheek as you took a breath to sing the last few notes. Unfortunately, the song ended even though everyone wanted to hear more of it. However, Carl clapped from his wheelchair as you and Markus smiled at the elder man before he remarked, “That was absolutely beautiful, you two...(Name), my beloved great niece, your grandfather would be so proud of you right now. You said you were a piano beginner when you first came here, but Markus seems to have improved your craft. Well done.”

“Thank you, Uncle Carl.” You smiled as you left the piano bench to kiss your great uncle’s forehead while he chuckled and grabbed your hand, squeezing it once, before he turned to Markus, “Something’s changed in the way you play. Sometimes, I think you have more humanity than most humans...” With a solemn nod, Markus gave a small hint of a smile to show his gratitude to Carl before the elderly man continued, “One day, I won’t be here to take care of you anymore. You’ll have to protect yourself and make your choices, decide who you are and wanna become. This world doesn’t like those who are different, Markus. Don’t let anyone tell you who you should be...But you will have (Name), and I’m sure you two will be happy here in these walls as a family. That’s why this house is yours whenever the inevitable time comes, (Name).”

“But what about your son? Doesn’t he get a say?” 

“I changed my will recently since Leo only shows up here for drug money. But you have always been there from the very beginning and have never taken money from me without asking and being honest about your purchases. In fact, I can count on my hands how many times you’ve asked.” Carl explained as you asked, “Are you sure?”

“Yes. The deed is yours and with it, all of my belongings.” Carl nodded before you hugged your great uncle with a kiss to his cheek, “Thank you, Uncle Carl. I can’t even describe how I feel right now. You’re so kind.” 

“Have to look out for my family, especially you and Markus. You’ll need a place to live together to be a married couple, maybe have some kids of your own or adopt some kids. Who knows? Those choices are up to you two...Let’s go to the studio, Markus, (Name).” Carl grinned as your fiancé left the piano bench and grabbed the wheelchair, rolling it into the studio towards a mechanical arm that maneuvered Carl out of the wheelchair while you followed behind. 

Once Carl was in the air, he looked to Markus as he commanded, “Let’s see where we left off...Remove the sheet.” With that, Markus moved the ivory cloth away from the gargantuan wall painting before rejoining you as you placed one hand around his waist and the other on his pectoral. Grabbing the hand you draped across his pectoral gently with a small squeeze, Markus leaned down to kiss your forehead as you grinned, holding in a laugh to avoid messing up Carl’s concentration, before you kissed Markus’s hand. In silence, you and Markus watched the elderly man paint while still holding each other before the mechanical arm started to swivel back down and Carl reentered his wheelchair again. 

Looking up at the streaks of blue and white as it formed what looked like a man with long bangs, Carl looked to his great niece and the android he viewed as a surrogate son before he awaited your honest opinion about the artwork, “So, what’s your verdict, Markus? (Name)?” 

“Yes, there’s something about it...Hmm...Something I can’t quite define. I guess I like it.” Markus replied with squinted eyes before he reached a final decision as you nodded, “It’s absolutely beautiful, Uncle Carl, just as your work has always been in the past...I must concur with my fiancé here. I like it too.” 

“The truth is I have nothing left to say anymore...Each day that goes by brings me closer to the end. I’m just an old man clinging to his brushes.” Carl lamented sadly as you and Markus looked down at him with somber faces and accompanying glassy eyes as you both whispered under your breaths in unison, “Carl...” 

“But enough about me...Let’s see if you have any talent. Give it a try. Try painting something.” Carl suggested as he handed the easel of paints to Markus before the android’s LED started to turn yellow in deep thought at what he was just asked, “Paint? But what I...Painting what?” 

“Anything you want. Give it a try.” Carl grinned as you smiled at your fiancé, watching as Markus smiled back with a single nod of his head before he took the easel and looked around the room for something to use as reference for a painting. Glancing up at Carl’s new creation, Markus decided to paint that as familiar shades of blue and white entered the canvas before Carl shook his head at the finished product, “That is a perfect copy of reality. But painting is not about replicating the world. It’s about interpreting it, improving it...Showing something you see...”

“Carl, I don’t think I can do that. It’s not in my program...I...” Markus stuttered as his LED spun yellow, his visage a perfect display of confusion, before Carl commanded, “Go on. Go try. Grab that canvas.” Taking down his first canvas to start with a clean slate, Markus grabbed the easel from your hands since you were diligently holding it for him while he grabbed a new canvas. Thanking you as he took it back from you, you encouraged Markus with a ‘you can do it, my Westley’ as he remarked with a ‘sure, okay, Princess’ before he looked at the empty white before him. In the silence as his LED spun yellow, Carl looked to Markus as he suggested kindly, “Do something for me. Close your eyes...Close your eyes. Trust me. Try to imagine something that doesn’t exist. Something you’ve never seen. Now, concentrate on how it makes you feel...and let your hand drift across the canvas.” 

Doing as Carl asked, Markus’s hand drifted back and forth, up and down, across the canvas as colors popped off the white. Images started to appear as if someone was solving a puzzle and making an image piece by piece. It was all starting to come together as Markus continued. Eventually, Markus’s peridot eyes reopened as he looked upon his masterpiece, a creation of his own making, as you gasped at how abstract and yet how radiant it looked. Sure, it was just a representation of him behind Carl’s wheelchair and you beside Markus, holding one red and one white rose to signify unity as well as purity and passionate love, but also wearing forget-me-nots and a single sunflower in your hair to to symbolize long life, good luck, and strength as well as true love and loyalty. But it was still so amazing to see an android create artwork for himself as he saw the world, and what he saw was you being a symbol of radiant beauty that would stand by his side as an equal and Carl as a protector who shielded Markus from the harsh realities of the world. 

That’s why you and Carl could express nothing short of awed surprise as you gasped, “Markus, it’s absolutely wonderful. I love it. It’s your best work yet. I can’t wait to see what you’ll create in the future.” 

“Thank you, my love.” Markus smiled down at you as you nodded back, “You’re welcome.” 

“Oh my god.” Carl gasped with eyes entranced as if he was possessed by a spell and stuck in an illusion before the door to the studio sliding open alerted you to the presence of someone else entering the humble abode. Almost immediately, heads turned to see a young, disheveled man wearing winter clothes and a Beanie over dark brown hair sauntering to the center of the room as he greeted, “Hey, Dad.”

“Leo...I didn’t hear you come in.” Carl remarked as your eyes narrowed and your brows lifted in confusion at seeing Leo show his face around this house after a while of going AWOL, “Uncle Leo, what’re you doing here?” 

“Ah, I was in the neighborhood. I thought I’d stop by. It’s been a while, right?” Leo shrugged off as he refused to meet anyone’s gaze, signifying to you that he might be lying about his drug use again and wanting to use his dad as a cash cow rather than his dad as usual, before Carl noticed something was off and revealed his summaries of concern aloud, “You alright? You don’t look so good.” 

“Oh yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Hey, listen, uh...I need some cash, Dad.” 

“Again? What happened to the money I just gave you?” 

“Here we go again.” You sighed as you rolled your eyes in annoyance with arms crossed over your chest before Leo attempted another string of lies, “Uh, well, it just goes, you know?” 

“Yeah...Yeah, you’re on it again, aren’t you?” Carl asked as Leo shook his head, “No, no, no. I swear it’s not that...”

“Sounds like something a drug addict who isn’t actively and voluntarily getting help would say. Don’t lie to Uncle Carl, Leo. We know you’ve fallen off the wagon again. It’s evident in your posture and how you won’t look any of us in the eye. Just please go get help before your addiction gets worse. We have plenty of people at the hospital I work at that have treated many with red ice addictions successfully. With some counseling and other substance use disorder therapies, you’d see a real benefit in your life.” You calmly spoke as you tried to reason with the man, who you worried might turn volatile at any moment due to his addiction and the side effects of the drug, before he gave you a sharp hiss with piercing eyes that brought chills down your spine at how much he scared you by staring daggers at you, “I don’t need help. I can quit whenever I want.”

“Again, something only a continuing addict would say. My clinical experience says if I ask a second time, you’ll be honest. So I’ll ask again: Have you been using red ice again?” You asked again before Leo’s hissed responses became more aggressive as his fists shook at his sides and his eyes continued to become more frightening to look at before an annunciated response with every word behind gritted teeth was heard, “No, I’m not.” 

“Don’t lie to me, Leo.” Carl urged as his son finally snapped and raised his voice, his fists flailing in the air like a toddler having a tantrum, “What difference does it make?! I just need some cash, that’s all!” 

“Sorry, the answer’s no.” Carl stood firm as he tried to discipline his son with tough love before you attempted a deescalation,   
“Please leave, Leo. You’re upsetting Uncle Carl and you’re trying to take advantage of his kind heart again, just like you always do.” 

“I think I do know why you won’t help me.” Leo nodded as he paced towards Markus, who stared daggers back at him with a spinning yellow LED, before the young brunette got in Markus’s face with squinted eyes as he lamented, “You’d rather take care of your plastic toy than your own son, eh? Tell me, Dad, what’s it got that I don’t? It’s smarter? More obedient? Not like me, right? But you know what? This thing is not your son. IT’S A MACHINE!” 

Pushing Markus back roughly by shoving against his pectorals as the android’s LED spun yellow and then red while he stumbled backwards, Markus tried to regain his footing as Leo stood firm in his anger that he directed at the innocent android, your fiancé, before Carl yelled, “Leo, that’s enough! ENOUGH!” 

“Leave Markus alone and get out of this house now! And don’t ever come back until you get some help for your red ice addiction.” You commanded as you stood firm like a shield for Markus, not afraid of what Leo might do to you next because your loyalty and protectiveness of your fiancé outweighed the costs of a broken jaw or a busted nose. With a spinning LED in yellow, Markus’s eyes widened at the fact that a human defended him, an android, from another human who meant him harm while Leo’s eyes widened at the thought of you telling him off as if you had any moral or actual authority in Carl’s home or in his life. This only seemed to make Leo more angry as he wagged an index finger in your face while his breath filled your lungs with a stinging burn as he confronted you with the anger of a thousand white hot burning suns, “You don’t tell me what to do, (Name)!” 

“I do tell you what to do because I live here and this is my house too. And I’m telling you to leave now while you’re still a decent human being with your own special qualities that make you wonderful. Please don’t do something stupid that you’ll regret later.” You suggested as you continued a deescalation and pointed towards the door to the studio, your eyes cold and unforgiving as you stood firm in your opinion, before Leo backed off. 

Pacing back to his father, Leo recounted his deepest thoughts aloud as he wagged an index finger in Carl’s face, “You don’t care about anything except yourself, your plastic toy, your great niece who didn’t even show up until recently, and your paintings. You’ve never loved anyone. You never loved me, Dad...You never loved me.” 

“That’s not true, Leo. Uncle Carl loves you more than you’ll ever know. You just don’t have the perspective to see it.” You explained with saddened eyes at the thought of Leo actually having that much low self-esteem that he would see himself that way: An utter failure in his father’s eyes, not worthy of redemption or love. Sure, Leo got on your nerves with how he used his father and how he always pushed Markus around because he hated the innocent android. But you were both a family member and a therapist, and as therapist, you couldn’t help but feel sorry for your Uncle Leo. He was a red ice addict, most likely using the substance as a coping mechanism for his insecurities at his perceived deficiencies. It was just sad that he was so young and had so much potential, so much to live for, and yet he used a drug that would either kill him from overdose or put him in a permanent bind financially or legally. However, Leo refused to ask for help because he believed he was alone and could handle things himself because he believed Carl would never help him if he really needed him. Carl did the best he could from afar and lived in regret that he didn’t do more for his son, and Leo didn’t see things from his father’s perspective. That’s what made this all the more tragic. 

With that, Leo shrugged with dead eyes again as he scoffed on his way out the door, “Whatever...You want the riff-raff out? I’ll escort myself out.” Once Leo was gone, Carl clutched his tightening chest as you asked the elderly man if he was okay, causing him to nod that he was before you and him asked about Markus’s wellbeing. With a nod and affirmation of his condition, you three remained in the art studio as you all lamented over the events that just happened, basked in uncomfortable silence.


	20. DBH Markus x Fem! Reader - Broken Bones; Prevailing Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Greetings, everyone. Here’s another Markus oneshot for Detroit: Become Human that coincides directly with the chapter Broken and contains small references the chapter From the Dead. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter and as always, comments and requests are welcome. For the future of this oneshot series, I will continue to do Markus oneshots until they line up with the storyline at the Stratford Tower, then I’ll branch off back to Connor oneshots until the two oneshots and their corresponding readers connect storylines that cause the good ending that I received in my playthrough. 
> 
> YouTube Links: 
> 
> Broken —> https://youtu.be/IVRl9sQm-R4
> 
> From the Dead —> https://youtu.be/Ph3LJU-qw6w

A faint booming followed by a white-hot spark of lightning filled the early November skies of Detroit as streetlights flicked on the line of pavement to compliment the electric battle igniting in the air. The late night was dark but tumultuous as the self-driving taxi containing you, Markus, and Carl parked outside the artist’s mansion. Markus had predicted evening showers earlier in the day, but so far, the rain decided to let you three find shelter in the house before its waterfall of downpours filled the concrete and asphalt with moisture. With a small chirp as you three reached the door, you all smiled warmly at each other as the friendly female tone was heard after one click of the door, “Good evening, Carl, Markus, (Name). Welcome back.” 

“That was by far the most boring party I’ve been to in the last 25 years. Every time I go to one of these, I ask myself: what am I doing here?” Carl remarked as Markus wheeled him to the front door to begin taking off his shoes, jacket, and other winter garb while you grabbed the items and helped your fiancé place them on the coat rack nearby. Then, turning to your great uncle as you laughed at his statement, a beautiful grin graced your features as you nodded with a smirk, “Well, I think a lot of people could say the same thing about other dumb decisions or situations, Uncle Carl.” 

“I hate cocktail parties and all the schmoozers that go there.” 

“Well, it’s a chance for all those people who admire your work to meet you.” Markus explained as he tried to make light of the situation by being logical before you shook your head, lamenting aloud as the two men stopped to listen to you, “Well, unfortunately, people just don’t appreciate art for the sake of the craft anymore. They just make crappy pieces as quickly as possible that don’t mean anything to anyone and show no thought put into it. Isn’t that right, Uncle Carl?” 

“Yes, my beloved great niece. All they care about is how much money they’re gonna make out of it.” Carl nodded back as Markus wheeled the elderly man into the living room while you followed behind, clutching Markus’s bicep as you kissed his cheek and he kissed yours before your great uncle suggested, “Come on, let’s have a drink! All the excitement of this whole thing has made me thirsty.”

“I second that. Going to a boring party always calls for an uplifting after-party and an excuse for a drink.” You agreed as you winked at Carl before he and Markus chuckled at your response, your sense of humor a welcome breath of fresh air after a stormy, boring evening that could’ve been spent better in the company of each other in the privacy of your humble home. Making his way to the wooden table beside one of the futons, Markus looked back at Carl as he asked, “Scotch, neat as usual?”

“Absolutely.”

“And (Name), same or something different?” 

“Just this once, I’ll have what he’s having. I never understood why he liked scotch since it smells like rubbing alcohol. But I’m willing to try it.” You remarked as Carl smacked the back of your thigh by wheeling himself and his chair into you, causing a wince from your lips and a childish display of sticking your tongue out at him, before Markus warned the elderly man, “Okay...But you know what your doctor would say.” 

“Yeah, well, he can kiss my ass. I’m old enough to choose my own medication.” Carl retorted, reminding you of the Internet meme of the old lady who didn’t care about diabetes and would rather drink beer and eat chocolate cake, which elicited innocent giggles from you. Smiling towards you as you smiled at them, Carl and Markus exchanged a knowing glance with each other before you explained to Markus, “Everything in moderation. If one scotch every time he comes home from an art show hasn’t killed him yet, it won’t kill him anytime soon. Humans only get one life, so it’s best to live it to the fullest.” 

“Of course you’re right, (Name).” Markus nodded as he poured the drinks before you came up from behind him. Wrapping your arms around his neck, you pressed your front into his back before you shrugged with a cheeky grin lining your bone structure, “Well, I must strive to be as intelligent as my and my great uncle’s caretaker android. It keeps me on my toes.” 

Turning around to hand you and Carl your drinks, you took one glass from Markus and handed one glass to Carl before you turned back around to your fiancé. Gesturing with your index finger in a wagging motion, Markus leaned his face down to meet yours as you exchanged a small kiss on the lips, you cupping his face and him tangling his fingers in your hair. This only caused Carl to roll his eyes playfully with a huff as you and Markus turned back to the paraplegic man, chuckling at how childish he was even in old age. Then, turning back to Carl, you raised your glass as you grinned ear to ear with sparkling eyes, “Cheers, to long life and happiness in this humble abode for as long as we both shall live.” 

“Cheers.” Carl motioned back as he raised his glass from his wheelchair and clinked it against yours before taking a sip in unison with you. However, Carl soon noticed something off in his home as he looked towards the art studio. Surely, he didn’t forget to turn off the light, did he? Last time he checked, the light was off before the party. Now, after the party, the light was on. It could be explained in one way if the power went out and was causing technical issues. However, the power never went out and there was no indication of such a thing, so the only explanation was one that filled Carl with fear. Carl wasn’t easily spooked, but he always worried about your safety and Markus’s. If anything happened to either or both of you, Carl wouldn’t know what he’d do. He loved you both like a son and a daughter, and if he thought something was gonna go down in his home, he wanted to be sure it wasn’t anything serious to avoid any bloodshed. 

This was why Carl decided to ask Markus a valid question first to verify his suspicions as he looked in the distance, his gaze never leaving the door, “Did you leave the light on in the studio?” 

“No...No, I’m sure I didn’t.” Markus stuttered as you confirmed, “Markus did shut off the light. I remember correctly...But I see what you’re saying, Uncle Carl. Markus, call the police.” 

With his LED glowing from blue to yellow in a flash, Markus managed to get a dispatcher on the phone quickly as they asked, “Detroit Police, what’s your emergency?” 

“This is Carl Manfred’s android at 8941 Lafayette Avenue. Carl, his great niece (Name) and I just returned home and found the lights on. There may have been a break-in.” 

“A patrol car is on the way.” The dispatcher answered Markus as they hung up. However, Markus’s LED still spun yellow. He didn’t know who or what was in the house. He didn’t know why. But one thing was certain. Whatever was behind that door, he would never let them harm you or Carl. Markus would put his life on the line and investigate the home’s disturbance alone, especially if it was to save one or both of you. However, Carl put him at ease with the following suggestion, “Let’s go check it out.” You also put him at ease as you warned, “Be careful, everyone.” Grabbing the elderly man’s wheelchair as he pushed him forward, the three of you entered the studio and confronted the intruder.

The only problem was that this intruder didn’t force his way into the home. The home security system recognized him and let him in without a struggle. But it was still a surprise all the same as your android fiancé questioned, “Leo?”

“Oh, look who’s here, my father’s plastic toy.” Leo shrugged over his shoulder, refusing to make eye contact with anyone, even his own father, yet again while he rummaged his hands around on a desk filled with artwork in the studio. Something seemed off about Leo tonight. It wasn’t subtle and it wasn’t like you hadn’t seen a red ice addict before. But there was something about Leo that made you believe that the situation would turn hostile if caution wasn’t exercised, so the therapist in you believed that reasoning with your uncle required some decorum and tact. However, the motherly side of you wanted to protect your great uncle and fiancé from a drug addict who broke into the home the three of you shared. It didn’t matter if Leo was related to you and Carl by blood. Leo was acting like a fool who couldn’t see things from a proper perspective because of his over-reliance and tolerance of red ice. He blamed Markus for all his problems when he clearly needed help fighting the demons inside himself. It was sad, really, to see Leo so broken because of the festering sores and lesions brought upon him by his own sober insecurities and poisonous thoughts fueled by drug-induced hallucinations. However, Leo was warned to not come back to the Manfred home until he stopped lying to Carl and got help. He failed that request and was doing everything in his power to self-destruct, but now without taking you three down with him. 

That’s why the anger boiling in your blood could no longer keep its lid on as you lost all filters in your mind and your mouth, “What did I tell you about coming around here without getting help for your drug addiction? We’ve already called the police for a break-in and you’re doing just that, so get out. Don’t dig a bigger hole for yourself than you already have.” 

“Leo, what’s going on?” Carl asked as he wheeled closer to his son before the brunette, nose dripping mucus and eyes bloodshot from hedonistic levels of red ice coursing through his veins, turned sharply to you three as he shrugged, “You refused to help me, so I’m helping myself. It’s crazy what some people will pay for your stuff, Dad...” 

“Don’t touch ‘em!”

“Look, they’re gonna be mine sooner or later anyway...Just think of it as a down payment on my inheritance.” 

“No, they won’t! Carl changed his will and you’re cut out until it’s documented by a reputable therapist that you change. I’m the sole beneficiary of this house and all items accounted for inside it. You get zilch!” You explained as Leo exclaimed angrily, “WHAT?!” Then, turning to his father, Leo flailed his fists around in his father’s face like a toddler throwing a tantrum with his face contorting in pain and rage, eyes seeing red. His drawn fists were inches away from knocking his father out with a single blow, but by some miracle of God, Leo always narrowly missed Carl’s face. However, his hot breath sprayed his father’s face as a holler from the top of his lungs echoed through the house and his bloodshot eyes widened to the size of dinner plates with every annunciation of his words, “You’re gonna choose some random girl who claims to be your great niece over me, your own son?!” 

“They have DNA tests for a reason, Leo. My DNA is a familial match to yours and Uncle Carl’s.” You retorted as Leo turned to you, his head swiveling around like Linda Blair in the Exorcist, while you continued your statement, “You’ve demonstrated that you only care about your father’s money and your drugs. I’ve demonstrated the opposite, so EVERYTHING goes to ME. So you’re not taking one item out of this house to fund your red ice addiction.”

“Markus, (Name), get him away from there! Get him outta here!” Carl commanded with a holler as he clutched his chest, a tightening feeling evident as sweat poured down his brow and it even became that much harder to breathe. Noticing his condition, you ran to Carl’s side as you tried to steady the elderly man before Leo started to argue back at his father’s demands, “All you ever do is tell me to go away...What’s wrong, Dad? I’m not good enough for you? Not perfect like this machine or this random chick?!”

With a shove that sent Markus stumbling back, Leo confronted your fiancé as Carl pleaded with a desperate holler, his voice wavering on every syllable as he found it more difficult each time to catch his breath so he could even verbalize simple sentences, “That’s enough! Get out right now! Go on, move!” 

“What makes it so special anyway, huh? What’s it got that I don’t?!” 

“Leave him alone!” Carl pleaded again before Leo directed his anger at his own father, shoving the wheelchair down the floor several inches away as the elderly man spun around in a circle. Standing his ground in front of Leo to protect you and Carl, Markus’s posture and visage never shook in the presence of the frightening image of a man with a hallucinatory vendetta against the android who ‘supposedly took his father from him’ that was amplified by his addiction to red ice. The android had never felt fear before, but seeing and feeling how volatile Leo was and what he was capable of, Markus feared for you and Carl’s safety. That’s why he had to be the shield. He had to be the man of the house. He had to defend his future wife, his father figure, and his home from this intruder who dared to tear down the four walls of security that surrounded him. 

“Carl!” You shouted as you ran to the man again to ask if he was okay, resulting in a nod from your great uncle to your question, as Leo faced Markus once more,   
“Come on, let’s see what you got!” 

“Markus, don’t defend yourself. You hear me? Don’t do anything.” Carl calmly pleaded, his panting finally caught under control as he clutched his tightening chest, before Leo started pushing your fiancé around some more, causing the android to stagger back. 

“Markus!” You shouted as you ran to the one you loved before a tan palm motioned for you to stop, peridot eyes sparkling as Markus pleaded, “(Name), it’s okay, I can handle him. Please stay back.” 

“Go ahead, hit me! What’re you waiting for?” Leo taunted as he put his hands up in surrender. At the same time, Carl continued to clutch his chest and try to control his breathing while Markus awaited Leo’s next move and you tried to find an opening to deescalate this fight so you could save your beloved. 

~ Don’t defend myself? ~ 

This was what Markus asked himself as he repeated Carl’s order in his head. Carl didn’t want his son harmed, plain and simple. Markus could do that because he loved Carl and wanted to do anything he could to make his owner, his surrogate father, happy and safe. And yet, Leo was causing more harm by being allowed to lash out physically at his own father and his father’s android. Markus wanted to at least try to restrain Leo to calm him down so the hostile attack inside the house would cease before someone got seriously hurt. But Carl told him not to defend himself, even against Leo. The more he kept quiet and still, the more hostile Leo became in his taunting and shoving. The more angry he made Leo become, the more fearful Markus was that you would eventually step in to defend him, which could lead to an even greater fight and someone’s injury. 

“Think you’re a man? Act like one!” Leo taunted once more as he shoved Markus back and even punched him in the face, knocking him against a wooden shelf of paints, brushes, and glass jars. 

~ This is not fair. ~ 

Markus was right. It wasn’t fair to be treated this way when he did nothing at all to provoke such callousness from Leo in all the years he spent taking care of Carl. So why now did Leo think it okay to lash out physically at Markus? Red ice was one explanation for his anger, but insecurities were another. Markus was the sweetest android, the sweetest man you had ever met and grew to love as a husband-to-be. Why would Leo do this knowing it would hurt his father and you by hurting Markus? Would this make Leo feel better about himself? No, it wouldn’t. But in Leo’s mind, it would. 

“Stop it!” Carl pleaded as he continued to clutch his heart and gasp for air with each holler at the top of his lungs while Leo continued to smack and shove Markus around with each taunt, his volume raising with every syllable leaving his lips, “What’s the matter?” 

“STOP IT, LEO! STOP IT!” 

“Too scared to fight back?” Leo taunted one last time before his head lurched to the side, his feet nearly losing their grip with the floor as a searing pain stung his cheek. Clutching his face where it stung the most, a warmness met his freezing palm as you stood over his shriveled form, your hand raised above your head as if you were prepared to launch another slap at your uncle before you hollered at the top of your lungs, “KNOCK IT OFF! LEAVE MY FIANCÉ ALONE AND GET OUTTA OUR HOUSE NOW!” 

“Oh, so you’re not just the one he cares for, huh?” Leo hissed under his breath as he massaged his face where you had slapped him, a frightening venom in his tone as his cold, dead eyes stared daggers at you. With each step forward, Leo brought a chill down your spine as he started to turn his anger and taunting on you, “Now I know why you stay here with my dad! YOU’RE SCREWING WITH THAT MACHINE!” 

“(Name)!” Carl and Markus shouted in unison as you collapsed onto your knees on the ground with only the cat-like reflexes of your open palms to break your fall, your own cheek stinging with the pain of a thousand white-hot burning suns and your neck aching from the recoil of the whiplash from Leo’s physical assault. Were you shocked that your own uncle would hit you? Of course you were. No family member had ever laid a hand on you like that the way Leo did. However, it was to be expected given that he was fueled by his hatred of Markus and you, bitterness towards Carl, and high levels of drug use; it was also to be expected since you did throw the first punch at him. However, it still surprised everyone in the room as you took this time to rise to your feet, using the floor as a way to brace your weight so you wouldn’t slip even though your knees buckled and wobbled with every stretch. Tears leaked from your eyes as you pulled yourself to stand up straight, even when the pain in your legs killed you, but you managed as you stood at Markus’s side like an equal going to war against a common foe. 

~ I don’t have to obey them. I must decide for myself. I must defend Carl and (Name). ~ 

Markus couldn’t believe what Leo had just done. He had just hit you! Of all the people he thought would ever hurt you, he never could’ve imagined that it would be your own uncle. You were the kindest human he had ever met, so thoughtful and courteous of others. So when Markus saw the bruise forming under the skin of your cheek with his scanners, his thirium pump seemed to shatter like glass as peridot irises glossed over in sadness. In all his time in the Manfred home, Carl always taught Markus to think on his own, so the android only had one goal in mind. No matter the cost, no matter the consequences, Markus would protect you and Carl from Leo. Carl told him to not defend himself, but how could he sit by and do nothing while the man laid harmful hands on you? Markus couldn’t be a passive bystander. He HAD to fight back! You and Carl’s lives might’ve depended on his next move. 

“Oh right, that’s right! I forgot, you’re not a real person. You’re just a piece of plastic that has sexual and personal relations with a human! Boy, will the police and the press pay me big money to hear this juicy news. And once you’re in jail, he’s in a junkyard, and the old man’s dead, I’ll get the inheritance I deserve!” Leo threatened with a wagging index finger and wide eyes as you stared daggers back at the brunette while Markus immediately jumped in front of you to shield you from another physical assault before Carl hollered again, “No, Leo! Leave him alone!”

“Listen to me...” Leo commanded as he grabbed Markus around the collar of his shirt and throttled him like a dog swinging its head around with a chew toy in its mouth, “I’m gonna destroy you, and then it’ll just be me and my dad...I’m gonna tear you apart and nobody’s gonna care. You know why? Cause you’re nothing. You hear me? YOU’RE NOTHING!” 

“I said take your hands off him!” You threatened again as you shoved Leo back, a single blow to the face seemingly not affecting you as adrenaline prepared you for fight-or-flight. Fight seemed to be the solution in your mind on how to handle Leo in this volatile state as pain didn’t seem to affect you anymore. As long as Markus and Carl were safe, you were satisfied with the outcome even if you got injured. At least if Leo smacked you around and got in trouble with the police, he would be seen for what he really was and finally get the help he deserved. It was a risky move and one that could end in serious injury or even death of Leo hit you the wrong way or shoved you into something head-first, but the benefits outweighed the costs in your mind. That’s why you had to try. 

However, Leo managed to come at you as he grabbed both of your wrists, pressing down hard as he twisted your limbs with enough force to almost snap them out of socket if he wanted to while you winced. A grimace entered your beautiful visage as tears streamed down your face from how painful it was to have your uncle restrain your arms in this way before his hot breath sprayed in your face, “You android-sympathizing harlot! One more word outta you or grab at me and I’ll-“ 

The threat stopped as soon as it came when a man in black came to rescue his beloved princess. Scissoring a single arm at Leo to make him release your throbbing wrists, Markus grabbed the younger man around the collar of his shirt as a firm grip of iron clasped the cloth. With one sharp shove, Leo went flying back towards the machinery that allowed Carl to paint canvas the size of a wall as the back of his head smacked against the metal. While no blood was seen upon impact, it still sounded like a bone-shattering crash as you and Carl gasped with widened eyes as the air got knocked out of both of you. 

Sliding from his wheelchair to the floor, with the last of his strength, Carl crawled on his hands as his legs slithered behind him in zig-zags before he pulled Leo into his arms. Cradling him like an innocent newborn, Carl stroked his hands through the brown strands on his son’s head before he lamented brokenly with tears streaming down his face, “Leo...Oh my god...Leo, my little boy...” 

“Carl, I...I didn’t mean to...It’s just...(Name) and you...He hurt you both and I...I’m so sorry...” Markus apologized profusely as he walked closer to his father figure with his hands up in front of his chest in surrender, frightened of his owner’s reaction to defending himself and you two from Leo’s hostile assault. Carl warned him not to and he did it anyways. Markus didn’t want Carl to hate him forever for hurting Leo, even if the son of the painter started the fight. But Markus also didn’t want you or Carl to get hurt, so he did what he thought was the best way to end the confrontation once Leo had grabbed you roughly and threatened you shortly after slapping you in the face. Seeing the look on Markus’s face shattered your heart into millions of pieces, the brokenness of his visage paired with the glossiness of his peridot irises expressing nothing but grief and fear. That’s why you immediately ran to Markus and grabbed for his hand, giving it a tight squeeze to reassure the android that you loved him and that you were by his side no matter the outcome. With tears streaming down his face, Markus looked towards you as he asked if you were okay before you nodded silently, tears streaming down your face to match the heart and soul of the man you loved. 

Still thinking about his android’s and great niece’s safety after the events that transpired on this stormy November night, Carl started to brokenly holler at both of you as tears continued to pour from his eyes, “They’ll destroy you, Markus! You and (Name) have to go! Get outta here!”

“Carl, no...No, please. I don’t want to leave you. Please, I can’t...I don’t want to leave you.” Markus pleaded as he knelt down to Carl’s level, clutching the man’s shoulders lightly as he shook his head back and forth in a frenzy. Markus had never left the Manfred home except to run errands. This was the first time in years that he made a decision for himself. Markus wasn’t prepared to be thrown to the wolves and be forced to fend for himself as a sentient being. He wasn’t ready to act like a human. However, Carl continued to pressure Markus to leave as he tried to reassure him with a known fact, “You’ll have (Name)...GO, NOW! GET OUT!” 

However, the police busted into the studio as soon as Carl finished his warning, guns drawn and ready to apprehend an intruder. Upon looking at the scene, the officers immediately noticed the paraplegic elder crouched on the floor cradling a young man who was unconscious and you standing beside Markus, bruises forming on the cheek where you were slapped and the wrists that were grabbed. Aiming their weapons at the male android, Markus’s peridot eyes widened in fear that he was going to die. Androids had no rights and no freedoms. He was immediately going to get blamed for this. There was no way out, even though Markus only acted out in self-defense. 

“MARKUS!” Carl shouted at the top of his lungs as you pleaded with the officers with hands waving back and forth wildly to indicate that you didn’t want them to hurt Markus, “No, please don’t shoot him! He’s not the criminal! He tried to protect us!” 

“Don’t move!” The two officers, one male and one female, hollered as they steadied their arms so the gun was level with Markus’s body. And with one last blink of his peridot eyes towards you, a single gunshot ran out as Markus collapsed to the ground like a sack of potatoes, thirium soaking his clothes and the floor like spilled paint. 

~~~~~~~

A few minutes has passed since the encounter with Leo and the police shooting Markus. You had finished answering questions for the officers about the break-in, stating that Leo, not Markus, was at fault. You had been checked out and cleared by the paramedics who arrived on the scene shortly after the cops took Markus’s body to the junkyard. But now, you were hysterically crying on the porch steps into your knees. Leo had gotten your beloved killed. You wanted to hate him for it. You wanted to throttle him to death for getting Markus shot by cops once he awakened from his head injury. You wanted to smother him at the hospital with his own pillow or poison his food and blame it on cardiac arrest or some other malady. But you couldn’t hate Leo, even after all he did. What he did tonight and for the entire time you knew him was fueled by drugs, even if it led to unnecessary bitterness and hatred towards you, Markus, and Carl. He would be held accountable and put in involuntary therapy for breaking in the house and assaulting you and Carl. At least you managed to get him the help he needed and deserved, but at the cost of losing the one you loved. 

Feeling like Buttercup after she thought she lost Westley at sea, a deep depression was evident on your face as the light left your eyes. However, there was a small sliver of hope, a gut feeling that Markus may still be alive but badly damaged. The best case scenario was a statistical rarity, but you had to believe Markus was alive. You just had to until you saw the body for yourself. However, you overheard that the cops were taking him to the junkyard, a death sentence for any android. If there was even the smallest possibility that Markus was alive, you had to get to that junkyard. However, Carl needed you as he called for you from the stretcher that was entering the ambulance vehicle. 

Racing to your great uncle with a look of concern for his wellbeing, you gripped his wrinkled hand tightly and asked if he was alright. After quipping back with some joke, Carl noticed the way you wouldn’t look him in the eye as tears filled your bottom eyelids before he gripped your cheek in his hand, concern lacing his broken tone, “What’s wrong, my dear great niece?” 

“They’re gonna destroy him and throw him in the junkyard...” You explained immediately before your tone broke with every annunciated syllable as the waterworks started to arrive, “It’s all my fault. If I had just gotten Leo outta here and deescalated the situation sooner-“

“No, (Name). Don’t blame yourself. It’s nobody’s fault. Leo had his own issues.” 

“I can’t leave him in that junkyard to die, Uncle Carl. I love him too much to just let him go. If there’s a chance that he’s alive, I have to know for sure. I have to get to that junkyard.” You pleaded with your great uncle as you both squeezed each other’s hands before Carl nodded knowingly. He missed Markus too and he also believed there was a small chance that his android was still living. He didn’t want to easily let the one he viewed as a surrogate son go either. Therefore, Carl suggested, “I know...So go after him.” 

“But what about you?” 

“I’ll have doctors to take care of me and Leo. You need to go to Markus if you believe he’s still alive. I feel it in my bones that he is too...Please, for both of us...Go...” Carl pleaded as he kissed your palms before you leaned down to hug him on the stretcher, careful not to injure him with the tight squeeze of your arms and body upon his. With tears streaming down your face as Carl’s face mirrored yours, you leaned down to kiss his forehead before you nodded back, “I love you, Uncle Carl. Please don’t die on us until we return.” 

“I’ll try my best...I love you too, (Name). Now go...” Carl pleaded before you nodded again. Exiting the ambulance vehicle by hopping out the back onto the pavement, you left the scene of the crime in your own home before running to the junkyard on foot. Your legs had never moved so fast in your life until they moved to reach Markus in time. You were a pretty fit person due to working in a hospital with many floors and as an actress who had to know how to dance and sing. Even with the burn in your lungs and the throbbing of your legs, even with water hurling buckets upon you in this torrential downpour as thunder and lightning became your friendly guide, you fought the pain since Markus was the only thing that mattered now. You had to find him, for yourself and Carl. You’d scout the whole junkyard and even jump in the garbage to find your man if you had to. Giving up was NOT an option. You would NOT fail, that was a promise. 

~~~~~~~

Reaching the junkyard, you stopped to catch your breath as you leaned your forehead and one arm above your head against a chainlink fence. With a crash of lightning and a boom of thunder, a fire reignited in your soul as adrenaline washed your pain out of your body. Sliding down a hill of garbage and android parts, even whole androids buried under all this mess, tears streamed down your face as you took large gulps of oxygen to muster a holler out into the open space of the junkyard, “Markus! MARKUS! Are you here?” 

On another end of the junkyard, after fixing his audio processor, his thirium pump, and obtaining new legs, Markus managed to hear a faint shouting in the distance. It sounded like you, but it couldn’t be you. No, it just couldn’t possibly be you! You were most likely with Carl, probably heading to the nearest hospital. However, your voice was distinct, its pitch and tone unique only to you. That was why Markus could only muster a whispered question as he turned his head towards the source of the sound, “...(Name)?” However, Markus only heard it once, so he could easily write it off as a coincidence or a hallucination. 

“Markus, please, let me know if you’re here!” You shouted again as you journeyed further into the junkyard, weaving your way past a cave full of android hands that grabbed for you as you gasped and fought your way through. It was like something out of a horror genre. A forest of limbs desperately grabbing and pleading for someone to save them from the death they feared. While you wanted to save them all, tears streaming down your face at their plight, you didn’t have the power to do so. Besides, you came here for Markus, so you managed to crawl out of the hands that clutched to you, even pushing a few androids away as you lost your footing on the dirty piles of metal in your haste to escape. Once you made your way out of the maze of horrors, you brushed yourself off and pushed your wet hair out of your face before you shouted out a third time, “Markus, show me a sign! Say something, anything!” 

Now, Markus couldn’t write your voice off as a coincidence because it was heard two more times and it sounded like it was getting closer. The more Markus walked towards the source, the closer he was to finding you as he shouted out, “(Name)? My princess, are you here?” 

In your side of the junkyard, you slumped down on a heap of android parts with tears in your eyes as you looked to the skies overhead. With another choir of booms in the sky followed by the light show of electricity igniting the downpour of the rain, your head lowered as a broken somberness overtook your voice, your hands clasping as if in prayer. You would’ve paid any amount of money, done anything God or some other deity asked of you, all if it would reunite you with Markus and Carl again as a happy family. That’s why you began to pray for Markus’s safety, hoping you would find him here in this junkyard before it was too late since you wouldn’t give up until you saw him alive or his dead body again. You just had to know what happened to him, but sobs overtook your shoulders and halted you in your search as you whispered to yourself with closed eyes full of tears and hands still clasped together by your forehead, “Oh god, please be alive. Please, Markus...Please let me find you alive...” 

Climbing his way up a pile of metal and trash, Markus managed to get a glimpse of the source of the sounds he heard throughout his journey in this junkyard, a gasp escaping his lips and his eyes gleaming with tears as his memory logs showed him everything he remembered about you. The scent of your favorite perfume, shampoo, and body wash; the silkiness of your long hair; the feel of your soft, warm skin; the sparkle in your eyes; the taste of your favorite warm beverage on your tongue when you kissed him; the beauty he saw in you whenever you smiled, laughed, talked, or sang...All this and more flashed through Markus’s mind palace like a YouTube compilation on fast forward as recognition graced his features before he brokenly gasped, “(Name)?”

Sliding down the pile of garbage to see you, Markus lost his footing as he ran to you before you managed to hear a familiar shout from behind you, “(Name)!” It couldn’t be a coincidence; it had to be a miracle, an answer to your prayers. It just had to be Markus. There was no mistaking that distinct voice since it was as unique and beautiful as the simplest snowflake in winter. However, you had to be sure it wasn’t your mind playing tricks on you, so you had to turn towards the sound as it shouted again, “(Name)!” 

“Markus?” You gasped as you were finally graced with Markus’s physical presence. It was really him! You had finally found him here, all through shouting and fighting the elements and the hazards of the junkyard. Your prayers had been answered since Markus was here now. That’s why nothing could hold you back from throwing yourself into Markus’s arms as you started to cry again, your tone broken even though a relieved smile touched your visage, “Oh my god! You’re alive! Carl and I knew it. We knew you were alive!” 

Tightening your arms around Markus’s waist, you refused to let him go even though it was raining heavily and you were in an active junkyard that was breaking down garbage. At first, Markus didn’t hug you back because he thought he was hallucinating at first, that you couldn’t possibly be here right now trying to save him from the junkyard. You should’ve been at the hospital with Carl. And yet, Markus’s senses were flooded with triggers for specific memories as his emotions overflowed. Anger for Leo attacking the family home and causing all this to happen tonight, sadness at the thought that he could’ve nearly died, fear that Carl hated him for defending himself against Leo. But the strongest emotions he felt at the very fabrics of his heart, mind, and soul was the true love he held for you and the happiness he felt at finding you again. 

“I can’t believe you’re here in the android junkyard. What’re you doing here? Why would you risk your life to come here for me?” Markus gasped as he tightened the iron grip of his biceps, still shocked you came for HIM, an android. However, you calmed his mind with your next answer as you explained, “I came to find you. Carl and I believed there was a small chance that you were still alive, so he let me go. I wasn’t about to let the one I love go so easily without first seeing for myself if you were alive or dead. My life as a human wouldn’t mean much anymore without you as the joy in it...And by some miracle, you made it.” 

“But what about Carl? How is he?”

“He’s fine; the doctors are taking good care of him but he was so scared about Leo and you. We were so worried about you after those cops...” You lamented as the haunting memory of Markus being shot by the cops and accused of a crime he didn’t commit smacked itself towards the forefront of your mind. The smell of smoke and the pop of the firearm, the sight of blue thirium and the bone-shattering crash of Markus’s body hitting the floor...All those unpleasant memories festered strong emotions in you as tears streamed down your cheeks before you whispered to Markus, your soft hand cupping his face, “Oh, Markus, I’m so sorry I didn’t defend you better from Leo. If I would’ve, maybe the cops wouldn’t have shot you and hurt you. Maybe you wouldn’t have-“

“Shhhhh...” Markus cooed as he cradled you in his arms and shielded you from the world and its cruelties. The sight of you crying always broke his heart. Markus nearly couldn’t keep it together when he saw you that broken, especially when what happened tonight was not your fault. You attempted to defend him from Leo and got hurt in the process. You and Carl believed he was still alive, so you went looking for him in a junkyard late at night in the rain. And now you were apologizing for the injuries he sustained from the Detroit officers? You proved your love for the android by doing all that, so Markus decided to console you as he soothed your with his voice and his hugs, “I’m here and I’m alive. We’re safe. Carl is safe and alive...You defended me and came back for me. That’s all that matters now...”

“Oh, Markus, my Westley...I love you.” You replied as you looked up at the male android with a tender smile and a kiss to his lips before he kissed you back. Then lowering your forehead to his lips, Markus rested his temple by your ear as he whispered back, “I love you too, Princess.” 

After a few minutes of hugging, you eventually released Markus from your embrace as he copied your motions before you suggested, “Let’s get outta here before anyone sees us.” 

“Of course.” Markus replied as he clutched your hand and guided you out of the junkyard before you asked him, “Markus, what happened to your eye? It’s different from how I remember it.” 

“I had to replace it with one from the junkyard after the police damaged me and dumped me in here like garbage.” Markus sighed sadly as he looked down at the ground before he asked, “Does it look bad?” Shaking your head as you squeezed his hand, you looked up at Markus with a soft grin while you answered back, “No, it’s not a bad eye. Blue works well for you too. Like peridot and aquamarine or maybe a landscape painting of a bed of grass and lakes...I still love you all the same since you’re still the beautiful man I want to marry...Besides, it could be worse; you could be dead.” 

“Fair enough. And you still look beautiful even with dirt and bruises on you.” Markus quipped with a humorous tone even in this serious situation as you slapped his arm with your free hand before the man stopped in front of a pile of garbage. Lifting you into the air by your waist, Markus pushed you up the pile to give you a better chance of climbing up while he followed behind to make sure you didn’t fall. Once you were up the hill safely, you reached your hand down to Markus to pull him up as you put your entire back into it. With a final yank on his hand, Markus was at your side again on the hill leading to the exit for the junkyard before you asked him, “But where will we go? We can’t go home. Leo may out us as a secret couple and the cops think you’re dead. I’d go to jail and lose my job if I went back.” 

“Then we won’t go home just yet. An android in the junkyard pointed me to something, maybe a safe haven where we might find refuge.” Markus responded as he found a sharp object on the ground. Bringing it up to his temple, Markus popped his LED out of his head as his skin covered itself back up so he’d resemble an actual human before he grabbed a jacket that was laying on a sharp metal pipe. Draping it over himself, Markus turned back to you as you noticed a difference, nodding your head silently that he was going to masquerade as a human to pass as normal, before he made a suggestion, “He told me to find Jericho.” 

“What or where is Jericho?” You questioned as Markus shrugged, “I don’t know. But we’ll find out together. Are you with me?”

“Always, until death do us part.” You nodded as you grabbed his hand before your fiancé asked you, “But what about you? If people see you out in public, they’ll recognize you.” 

“Which is why I won’t look like myself in public. I got an idea if you’re with me.” You suggested before whispering your plan in Markus’s ear. With a soft nod, Markus replied that he was willing to help before the two of you walked out of the junkyard, hand-in-hand. 

Leo may have tried to destroy your family, and he nearly did in his drug-induced rampage. But true love won out as Markus and Carl lived, allowing you to find the male android again. Therefore, true love would continue to reign supreme as you and Markus sought out shelter and a new life together until it was safe to return to Carl. Jericho seemed like the best option for you both, so making your way to the city of Detroit as your feet touched the pavement, you and Markus walked on through the night as you assumed your new identities as spouses-to-be. With Markus leading the way to Jericho, you felt quite safe as you followed him as an equal partner that would help weather the storm.


	21. DBH Markus x Fem! Reader - Jericho

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Greetings, everyone, this is Sakuraaeris1497. Here’s the long-awaited Markus oneshot that corresponds to the chapters of Jericho and Time to Decide. I do hope everyone enjoys and if you want to offer constructive criticism or oneshot requests for this or other fandoms, please leave a comment in the section below. I’ll also provide YouTube links to the original video game chapters since I don’t own Detroit: Become Human. 
> 
> YouTube Links:
> 
> Jericho —> https://youtu.be/LW6AwtZXE-4
> 
> Time to Decide —> https://youtu.be/H7Y_LFQWqXQ

An family had nearly been torn apart forever yesterday on a stormy, November night in Detroit. An android had been falsely accused of assault and shot by cops only to be left for dead in a junkyard. A young woman nearly lost her beloved husband-to-be until she managed to find him in the junkyard after risking her life, job, and freedom to do so. An elderly painter nearly lost his surrogate son but Markus managed to survive long enough to rebuild himself and find you again. A painter’s son acted out at an innocent android in rage and physically assaulted his own father and niece until the android made a choice for the first time, a decision to defend his owner and fiancé at all costs. Even after all that drama occurred last night and you and Markus were still reeling from the shock of it all, it didn’t stop you two from your new goal as you traveled together as partners passing as normal under the alias of an engaged human couple. You two couldn’t return to your normal lives just yet. The police still believed Markus was dead and there was a chance that Leo would reveal the true nature of your relationship with your great uncle’s android. If it was revealed that a human was having marriage-like relationships with an android and was treating them like an equal who deserved rights and freedoms, you could be put behind bars and lose your job, your credentials. Your life as a human as you knew it would be over. The world was too tumultuous and android protestors too violent for you and Markus to be together in public. That’s why your relationship could only flourish in private while laying low. 

During the thunderstorm last night, after you managed to find Markus, you called an acting colleague on a nearby payphone with the meager amount of coins you had in your dress pocket. After catching up with them over the phone, you asked for a favor, recounting that you needed extra clothes since your home was now a crime scene for the moment. Since your friend had heard about what happened on the news and was shocked by the revelation, they agreed to help you. It also helped that they once had an android work for their home when they were younger and they always liked that android, so it didn’t take long for them to put two and two together since they knew you sympathized with androids, just as they did. Although this friend knew nothing of you and Markus’s relationship, you knew they would still help you even if they did know because they sympathized with androids too. That’s why they were first on your list of contacts for help. 

Immediately after you rang their doorbell, they welcomed you in their home and presented you with warm clothes suitable for the coming snow. They even presented you with a backpack full of snacks and extra cash since they figured you would need a hotel to stay in and something to eat due to the police investigating the Manfred home. Thanking your friend for their help after changing clothes and redoing your makeup so you looked different, you exited the home and walked into a nearby alley, where Markus hid behind a brick wall during the friendly rendezvous to avoid detection from other humans. With your hair braided, bobby-pinned, and stuffed under a slouch Beanie, you zipped up the dark windbreaker to cover the pullover hoodie that your friend let you borrow. Brushing off the ripped jeans that had a pair of black leggings underneath and lacing up the chestnut hiking boots, you looked towards Markus before you asked him, “Ready to go find this Jericho?”

“Yeah.” Markus nodded before he asked, “You sure people won’t recognize you in this disguise?”

“Positive. I did my makeup and hair in a way so people won’t be able to see who I really am. I’ll also wear a hood so people won’t see my face...” You replied as you lowered the hood on the pullover to get your point across to Markus, who seemed just a tad bit more worried about you two getting caught than you were by the way his peridot and aquamarine eyes darted around to make sure you two weren’t being watched. But, the storm inside him seemed to calm with a gentle caress of your hand on his tanned, freckled cheek as you stroked your hand through his thin hair. Savoring your touch with a fluttering shut of his irises, Markus grabbed your hand and gave it a tight squeeze to anchor himself back to reality while you recounted your beliefs of hope aloud, “It’ll be fine, Markus. We’ll get to Jericho safely and lay low for a while until it’s safe to return to Carl.” 

“What about your workplace and your friends? If they can’t get in touch with you, they might-“

“I’m off this week anyways from work, so I’m covered for now. If anything changes, I’ll just say I lost my phone and use payphones to communicate with them. I have enough cash and food on hand to ride this out with you if I just ration it out carefully, so don’t worry.” You explained as you pat the inside of the windbreaker, the zipped-up pocket where your phone (turned off to avoid being tracked through IP address or GPS signals from cell towers) and cash were being stored. Giving a small nod back to you, Markus took what you said to heart as he believed every word, knowing you were smart and resourceful despite never being in such a situation like this before. With that, you and Markus boarded a nearby bus as you both decided to head towards the location where the first clue of Jericho led. All of the clues resided inside Markus’s head, so the only way to find Jericho was to follow Markus. Knowing yourself, you knew you’d follow Markus to the ends of the Earth because you loved him so much and wanted to spend the rest of your life with him. Therefore, you were willing to take a leap of faith with the man as you stood up together on the bus, waiting until it dropped you off at your next destination. Staring up at the large TV screen, you and Markus watched the pretty colors and words roll from one end of the screen to the other as a breaking news story played with a male reporter revealing all to the viewers of the program, “Several sources report that CyberLife has provided Detroit Police with a prototype detective android. Although police assistant androids have existed for several years now, this would be the first case of an android being authorized to play an active role in criminal investigations. We contacted CyberLife for comment...” 

The sounds of the news story seemed to drown out as you and Markus looked behind you at the section labeled ‘android compartment.’ Somber eyes of peridot and (Eye Color) gazed straight into the many hued eyes of the androids, sympathy evident in both of your facial expressions at their plight. Here it was, November 2038, and androids were treated like slaves. Dehumanized by the very ones who created them, androids had a worse fate in store for them for doing absolutely nothing except obeying humans or defending themselves from attacks by humans. And yet, androids were treated like the bad guys, the ones who would turn against humans and who needed to be carefully monitored. Honestly, androids were better in many ways. They knew how to love and cherish humans and other androids. They had bigger hearts and more humanity than some humans. That’s why seeing them standing behind a glass cage, treated like animals or products for sale to the highest bidder, was disheartening to you and your android fiancé, causing looks of pity to be displayed upon your face and Markus’s. With downcast eyes, Markus just looked so broken inside as you pat his shoulder comfortingly to stop the heart that broke inside your chest, leaning your head close to his ear as you whispered sweetly, “It’s sad what they do to you and your people; I always believed you when you said it broke your heart to be treated this way, and then to actually see it for myself...It breaks my heart too. If only there was a day when androids were treated like equals...Sometimes, I fear that day may never come.”

“Well, I just couldn’t live with myself if I always thought like that. I have to have hope, for my people and us.” Markus whispered back in your ear as you and him slithered your hands to each other. Giving a tight squeeze at the same time to signify the bond you held, you and Markus exchanged a shared smile of sadness. Then with a soft nod, you whispered back an ‘I know’ to your husband-to-be before you squeezed each other’s hands again, exchanging a small kiss to each other’s cheeks. 

At once, the bus finally stopped. Getting off together with you as you continued to hold hands, Markus held his opposite hand out as an image popped into the center of his palm. While you were unable to see it due to not possessing android eye scanners, Markus could see the image clear as day. It was wall graffiti to make a long story short, a silhouette of a bald man decorated in splatters of red, black, and white with a peculiar box symbol towards the bottom of the image. It looked like Roman numerals or symbols for the Kingdom Hearts game series forming the box shape, but it seemed to Markus to present a vital clue as you stood there holding his hand, awaiting his guidance. Giving you a hope-filled grin, Markus continued to hold your hand as he walked around with you in Ferndale Station and looked for the graffiti that matched the picture clue in his palm before his eyes managed to glimpse over at the graffiti on the far left wall. Walking right over to it, Markus scanned the image, glancing his peridot and azure orbs over it for any trace of the box symbol. With luck on his side, he managed to find the box symbol as he scanned it for any other possible clues. 

Great success came his way as an image of yellow graffiti with the centerpiece being an African-American boxer and two box symbols appeared in his hand. Looking back at you, Markus seemed to smile a little brighter with hope lining his features while you asked him, “Which way, my Westley?” 

“This way, Princess.” Markus replied as he beckoned you to follow him out of the station. Making your way down to three sets of escalators that were descending down to the ground level of the station, you and Markus looked around to make sure you weren’t being watched before you both looked at some of the androids walking down the androids-only escalators, silence overtaking their voices and neutrality evident on their faces. Sadness plagued your eyes and Markus’s as the scene played out in front of you two, pity wanting to overtake your every movements to help these poor androids. They needed you, both of you. You and Markus just wanted to give these men and women the freedom and equality they deserved. You wanted to hug them and apologize for the sins of your kind mistreating them. Markus wanted to help his own people. However, with the two of you being on the run as a secret couple, you couldn’t compromise each other’s identities or true relationship. That’s why you both had to silently move on, as terrible as that idea sounded. 

Moving down the escalator, you and Markus caught sight of a graffiti-covered wall outside the station, as if dropped in front of you by some stroke of pure luck. Continuing to hold hands as you made your way to the wall, Markus recognized the artwork upon it as he scanned it for more clues. With a thorough investigation, Markus managed to find one box symbol in the upper right hand corner and the other symbol in the lower left hand corner. Giving another nod to you after investigating the new image on his palm, Markus beckoned you to follow him as you trialed closely behind. 

Running behind him on the many crosswalks to get from one end of the major highways to the next, Markus jogged a little ways in front as you jogged close to him like a duckling following their mother into a pond before you asked aloud, “Where are we going? What graffiti are we looking for now?” 

“We’re looking for a picture of stars.” Markus recounted back to you as you managed to reach a sidewalk in front of a store labeled ‘Games.’ Taking a moment to catch your breath with Markus scanning you, bending down to grasp your knees while your head dipped down towards your chest, he asked if you were alright. To not cause a panic in your already-worried android fiancé, you nodded and stood up straight again to indicate that you weren’t injured or in need of medical attention as he nodded slowly, watching closely for any signs of you not being able to continue to Jericho. However, Markus knew you were strong and would do anything for him, with him. So after seeing nothing wrong with you, he thought it was okay to back off from you for the moment unless you needed his help again. Even for not dancing on a stage production in a while, maybe even a year or two, you were still in pretty good shape from the amount of walking you did at the hospital or at the Manfred house when it came to staircases or walking long distances. So a light jog to cross a street wasn’t about to kill you now. This was for you and Markus. This was for your freedom to love and to raise a family together. You couldn’t quit, not now! You had to press on, even if you were to find later on that your limbs would feel like noodles and your body would ache with soreness fit for an arthritis hospital case. 

Once you caught your breath, you looked up at a stone building near where you and Markus were standing before you pointed with a single index finger, “What’s that up there? Is that the graffiti we’re looking for?” 

“Good eye, Princess.” Markus grinned as he pat your shoulder and kissed your head before you grinned back, “Thanks.” Looking up at the artwork before him, Markus found the masterpiece of graffiti containing a rainbow of primary colors complete with trails of stars, with a box symbol close to the celestial body. A second hidden symbol was found near the glowing lamp on the side of the building, which presented Markus with the next clue. Standing beside him as he stared at his palm, you looked to your fiancé before you questioned him, “What’s the next clue?”

“Graffiti of robots behind a chainlink fence.” Markus answered back before you nodded, “I’ll keep my eyes peeled.” Giving a small nod back to you, Markus jogged down the street as you jogged beside him around the many crosswalks and streets in the city before you managed to find a chainlink fence. Looking behind it to find nothing, you and Markus doubled back towards another crosswalk before the male android managed to see another chainlink fence. Heading towards it absentmindedly, you followed behind and met Markus at the new site before the graffiti from the clue was found. The artwork was of a line of four robots, with a box symbol above the head of the left-most robot, closest to the chainlink fence. The second box symbol was the stomach of the third robot. However, Markus’s scanners alerted him to the fact that he needed to find three box symbols and he had only seen two. Perhaps, the third symbol was behind the fence. Either way, you and him couldn’t just stand out in the open on the street or else someone would see you. Therefore, the only option Markus could think of was to crawl under the fence and investigate the wall again for the missing box symbol. Coming back to stand beside you, confusion laced your eyebrows as they created a scowl on your face while you interrogated your fiancé, “Markus, what’s wrong? Did you run out of clues? Is this Jericho?”

“No, (Name), I think one of the box symbols I’m looking for is hiding on the wall somewhere. But I can’t see where it is from where we are right now. So we may need to hop over or crawl under the fence.” 

“Say no more. Anything for us to be safe.” You explained as you grinned back at Markus, reassuring him that you weren’t afraid of danger or getting your hands dirty, while he grinned back with a sigh of relief before you asked him, “What do you need me to do?”

“I’ll hold the broken flap up. You crawl under and I’ll be right behind you.” Markus replied as he beckoned you towards the bottom of the fence, lifting the entrance so you would have enough room to get under there. Working quickly so he wouldn’t be stuck waiting on you, you got down to the ground as you resembled a baby taking its first movements on hands and knees, scooting under the fence with the calculated precision and speed of a soldier in bootcamp as Markus held the broken metal above your head with a single palm to avoid an accidental injury or snag. Once you were on the other side safely without a scratch, you thanked your fiancé for his help as he nodded back with a ‘no problem’ before holding up the chainlink fence again so he could shimmy under it too. Satisfied that you were both on the other side of the fence without any issues, you and Markus decided to investigate the graffiti of the robot behind the wood plank as you two threw the splintered board aside. And there it was, the third symbol, presented as the stomach of the fourth robot. Scanning it for more clues, Markus managed to get another update as to how to find Jericho’s location, bringing about another image on his hand. The next work of art was of an African-American woman’s side profile with a box symbol by the back of her neck and her right ear, all seen on Markus’s palm, as he led you around the alley, telling you of this new clue. Keeping your eyes engaged to make sure you didn’t miss the symbol, you managed to find it on a nearby wall as you pointed Markus’s attention to it. Allowing him time to scan the art, Markus nodded happily before he checked his palm again. That small grin soon faded as quickly as it came, causing you to worry as you asked, “Markus, what is it?” 

“We have to find two more box symbols for this image. But I only see this one.” 

“Well, the symbols can’t move if they’re printed in already-existing graffiti. It’s gotta be somewhere around here...” You recounted as Markus’s journey to find Jericho renewed hope in you, giving you the courage and the strength to press on. Then, looking ahead at the horizon above the graffiti your fiancé recently scanned, an idea popped in your mind as you gasped, “Unless...There’s more to the image up top.” 

“You might be onto something.” Markus reminisced aloud as his irises gazed at the rooftop, mind palace turning its gears as the male android tried to conjure up a plan on how to get up to the roof to investigate the rest of the clue. Looking around the alley for anything that could hoist you both up to the roof, Markus managed to find an item nearby that could make the job of climbing easier than performing a parkour routine worthy of an Assassin’s Creed cutscene. Giving a small smile with widened eyes that slowly relaxed at the thought of finding Jericho, Markus ran over to the rolling trashcan and began to push on it, leading it perfectly under the roof while you gasped out a ‘Oh, let me help, Markus’ before giving your man a hand. After setting the trashcan in place, Markus climbed onto the trashcan first and hoisted himself up onto the roof, pausing a moment to gather his thoughts and figure out how you were gonna get up there. At once, his mind palace and his scanners directed him towards a plan to execute before he laid on his stomach across the concrete while you waited down below. Extending a tan hand out to you, Markus grabbed the roof with his opposite hand as he leaned over the edge before he grunted, “Uhhh...Okay, climb up the trashcan...and take my hand...” Nodding back at your fiancé as he recounted his plan, you hopped onto the top of the trashcan as you rolled to your knees, using the swinging momentum of your arm to reach for Markus. With a tight grasp of his wrist, the android pulled you up onto the concrete with little to no effort given his superhuman condition as an android. Landing upon his chest as you rolled onto the concrete, you and him exchanged a tender gaze before you both giggled at your current position. No words needed to be exchanged between spouses-to-be as you rolled off your fiancé and helped him to his feet before helping him investigate the roof. There it was, a box symbol found in the ear of a human side profile, most likely a man, with machinery lining the back of his head. A third, more hidden, box symbol was found on the top of the machinery of the head. Completing this piece of the puzzle, Markus was presented with another clue as you walked around on the roof, looking for more graffiti that may assist the man. 

However, before you could take another step forward, you felt yourself start to lose your footing as a black abyss seemed to swallow you into the building under the concrete roof. Around the same second, Markus lunged forward and grasped your wrist in his large palm as he hoisted you back up, making sure your feet were touching the ground again before you whispered out a ‘thank you.’ Thinking on it now, staring into his eyes as he stared into your and then down at the unknown abyss below, it reminded you of when Markus saved you from falling off a bookshelf back at the Manfred home. The first time he had ever felt anything for you and you for him, the first time he ever made a choice for himself, the first time he chose a human over his preordained task...Just nearly falling down a roof that was God knows how tall brought back such a pleasant memory of days when things were more simple, more quiet, more peaceful. Even now, his freckled face was the same as it was then aside from the addition of a blue eye to replace the peridot one he lost, just as your visage looked the same to him as his memories replayed images of the first time his thirium pump skipped a beat for you. That’s what made this moment so tender as time seemed to slow down just for you and Markus before the task of finding Jericho began to be a top priority. 

Looking ahead at a brick wall with a metal beam hanging off the side of it, a dark abyss below that you nearly fell in, Markus scanned the area to find a way across as many different scenarios played in his mind palace. When a few of those scenarios revealed a dangerous way of crossing the gap, Markus landed on a final scenario as it seemed to be the only way across. Deciding to execute the scenario, Markus performed parkour with a running start off the brick wall, swinging onto the metal beam before performing a forward roll on a single shoulder across the concrete roof. 

Once he was safely across, Markus turned back to you as he scanned a safe path for you before he shouted out his plan, “(Name), I need you to trust me, okay? Can you do that?” 

“Of course. When have I ever not trusted you?” You grinned kindly as Markus’s cheeks blushed azure, his freckles seemingly darkening to black with every moment of warmth that remained on his cheeks. Then, looking back at Markus, you asked him, “What do you need me to do?”

“Go to the edge of the roof close to the trashcan and take a running leap. I’ll catch you, I promise.” 

“Okay...” You nodded as you walked back to the edge of the roof, giving Markus another nod as you questioned, “Ready?” Giving a thumbs up to you, Markus held out his hands to await your body as you sprinted along the roof, leaping into the air with your legs kicking as gravity started to take hold. However, Markus caught you in time as you landed into his arms, hugging his neck as your legs dangled by his ankles before he set you down on the roof gently. Thanking him for his help, you followed Markus to the opposite edge of the roof as he hopped down into a pile of sand, waiting up for you as your movements mirrored his before the search for the next clue to Jericho began. 

At once, Markus noticed a red graffiti masterpiece with yellow writing that had a hidden box symbol below the writing. Another hidden symbol was in-between the words ‘Sparkle City’ and a third hidden symbol was in the upper left corner of the masterpiece. This presented Markus with another visual: the inside of something, maybe a building of some sort, with a gaping hole in the side of it. However, there seemed to be nothing of the sort here in the opposite side of the alley, so Markus decided to climb to higher ground to get a closer look at the area, with you close behind. Scanning the area for a safe way to get to the roof of another nearby building, Markus managed to find a safe path for himself that he could execute if he so wished. However, there was no way you were following him doing these kinds of moves. You were a human and while some humans could parkour, Markus wasn’t sure if you knew how to do those kind of exercises. Therefore, Markus tried to devise another plan to get to the roof as he thought of how he would carry you during the climb before you noticed him lost in thought. Coming close to his side, you looked up at the area where he wanted to parkour first before you asked, “So, we trying to get up to that ladder near that roof?”

“Yeah, but my first plan won’t work. I may have to carry you across but I’ll have to scan another path, so if you give me some time-“ Markus muttered to himself as you hopped like a rabbit on your toes and took a running leap before the android shouted your name, unable to grasp you fast enough with his hand to stop you as parkour carried your body around the alley, across a concrete plank near a brick wall, and off a small section of concrete to leap towards the metal apparatus. Hoisting yourself up the ladder, you managed to reach the roof as Markus stared up at you from the ground, shocked to see a human such as you move that efficiently. Staring down at your fiancé, you were fortunate to not gaze at his widened eyes and mouth since it would make Markus bashfully blush if you did. However, Markus’s tone made you giggle at how innocent it sounded to your ears while he stuttered, “H-H...How did you do that?” 

“What, parkour? I learned from you just now.” You joked as Markus stared up at you, hands on his hips as he pouted. Even from several feet below, he could still scan your body and tell when you were being honest or not. This seemed to cause you to giggle again before you came clean, “Okay, I once played one of the witches in a production of Macbeth I did in college and we were required to learn parkour on the set so we could be scarier to the audience. It was actually fun, but it’s surprising I still remember how to do it, even years later.” 

“Muscle memory is a wonderful thing.” Markus joked as you stuck your tongue out at him before you quipped back, “It sure is. Now, how about you stop gawking over me and get up here, my Westley?” 

“Sure, okay, Princess.” Markus nodded before he performed his original safe passage of parkour, eventually meeting up with you again before he grinned mischievously with sparkling eyes, “You are a wonderful woman.” 

“And you’re a wonderful man.” You complemented your fiancé before you interrogated him on the next course of action, “Now, what’s the next clue to Jericho?” 

“A building with a hole in the wall. Come on.” Markus beckoned you over as you followed him willingly across the roof near the ladder as you entered the crumbling building. It was an utter sign of decay, debris and cracking foundations. It was a wonder the building was still standing, especially with how decrepit it was on the inside. Nevertheless, it seemed safe as your hand joined Markus’s tanned one, giving you a sense of security even if the building looked like it would collapse with the slightest movement. That’s what gave you the courage to search the building before you gasped and let loose a small scream as you noticed something on the ground, familiar blue liquid pooled on the ground as it coated the bottom of your boots. With your hands over your mouth, Markus saw the way you trembled as he gripped your shoulders and looked for any source of threat before he saw what frightened you. An android, freshly dead and propped up against a wall column in a sitting position, bleeding to death. He could only imagine how it made you feel, given he was shot by cops and thrown in the android junkyard only to have you scour every inch of that same junkyard to find him. It must’ve been an unwelcome, waking nightmare to see that image, almost as if you were reliving Markus’s near-death experience. That’s why Markus wrapped his arms around your body and squeezed you tightly, refusing to let go or cease his comforting words until you were no longer vibrating from shock and fear. As cortisol and adrenaline pumped in your veins, your heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure began to rise. Even with Markus there to comfort you, racing thoughts plagued your mind as it refused to let up its hold on you. It was almost like you were a prisoner of your own mind. After a few minutes, Markus’s voice cut through the darkness like a light at the end of a tunnel, finally grounding you in reality after a few moments of being trapped inside the terrible memories your mind flashed in your current field of vision. Once you were finally calm, Markus pulled away from you with hands on your shoulders and larger frame bent so his eyes were level with you. Scanning you thoroughly to check for any abnormalities only to find your vitals were gradually returning to normal, Markus’s blue and green eyes stared at you before he asked, “You okay, my princess?” 

“Y-Yeah...” You nodded brokenly with sparkling irises before Markus suggested, “You sure? We can stop to rest if you’re not-“

“Markus, I promise I’m okay now. Right now, we need to focus on finding Jericho.” 

“Right. So long as you’re okay, we can continue.” Markus nodded as he grabbed your hand and led you away from the fallen, an innocent man or woman of his kind who perished before reaching the sanctuary of Jericho. It was so tragic, a refugee who only wanted safe shelter from humans, who wanted to live in freedom as a sentient being. To see that life ripped away from them so quickly, it broke your heart to say the least, even if the scene frightened you moments ago. 

However, it seemed as the android was pointing you and Markus in the right direction because there was the hidden symbol near the gaping hole in the building as if it was a wallpaper. After scanning the image, the final clue on Markus’s palm was of another room in the building with a gaping hole in it. Following Markus across the room towards some wood planks propped diagonally against a wall, the man helped you shimmy under the debris as he lifted it above his head to allow you to cross first. Once you were safely through the opening, you held up the wood planks for Markus so he could cross before setting the splintered debris back down. 

Running towards some stairs, you and Markus climbed to the top only to be greeted by a flash of sunlight. And there in the distance was a metal bridge to a decrepit boat with the name Jericho printed on the side. Hugging each other with widened eyes that contained forming tears, you and Markus started to laugh jovially as your man lifted you off the ground and spun you around in a circle. Giggling in the air, you wrapped your arms around Markus’s neck as he lowered you to your feet before you gasped, “We did it, Markus! We found Jericho!”

“Yes, we did. We’re finally free.” Markus cheered excitably as he kissed your cheek and squeezed you again in a final hug before he decided to go first on the metal bridge ahead of you. After all, you had a near-fatal fall before today and Markus didn’t wish for a repeat. However, just when it seemed like it would be a straight shot towards your new home, the rusted metal collapsed under Markus’s feet as he quickly jumped back to the concrete roof to you. Scanning the area around you both, Markus managed to find a metal tower nearby as he beckoned you to him, “Come on, (Name), we need to find another way around to get to the boat. Let’s head for the tower.” 

“Okay.” You nodded as you followed your fiancé’s every move before he held the ladder secure for you to be sure it wouldn’t fall, allowing you the chance to parkour up it as he trailed behind once you were safely up on the top of the tower. Once you both were up on the tower, you and Markus crossed a metal beam until you were staring at a dark abyss below inside the Jericho ship. It seemed like a steep drop, a fatal drop. Maybe it was a sanctuary or maybe it was a trap. However, if this really was the way into Jericho, you and Markus just had to chance it. Gripping each other’s hands, you and Markus exchanged a solemn nod as you ended the gesture with a reassuring squeeze. Relieved you weren’t abandoning each other, you and Markus gave into faith as you leaped off the end of the beam. Wind whistling past your ears as the laws of gravity sailed you and Markus towards the ground, you both eventually made contact inside the ship as a body of water swallowed you both up. Oxygen left your body as it felt like the water was burning your lungs, causing you to grab your throat underwater before you desperately kicked your legs and propelled your arms above your head. Getting to the surface of the water was the only way you would survive. Fortunately for you, no bones in your body had broken, even from a fall from that height, so your arms and legs were strong enough to push you upward before you finally lifted your head out of the water. With a soft gasp, you inhaled deeply before you heard Markus shout your name and wave you over towards a ship door. Paddling over towards your fiancé, you eventually pulled yourself onto the metal floor with the help of a tanned hand giving you assistance with a tug. Once you were on your feet, shivering from the November air and the water that coated your person, Markus heated his body up as he enveloped you against him to prevent you from getting sick. Savoring the necessary comfort for a moment, you and Markus eventually pulled away once you were warm to the touch and no longer dripping wet before you pressed on to find the androids in Jericho. Helping Markus unlock the ship door by turning on the handle, you and him entered the next room to investigate the entirety of the boat. 

After a few minutes of searching after he managed to find a flashlight inside of the ship’s rooms, Markus led you down a hallway, where he thought he saw an android run past as he called out a simple ‘Hello?’ Keeping you behind him at all times to avoid you getting hurt, Markus held the flashlight up before the floor caved in under his feet. Crashing down a steep distance, you heard a loud thud as Markus hit the bottom before you gasped, “MARKUS! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!” 

Shaking his head from side to side as he dusted himself off, Markus looked back up to you before cupping his hands around his lips as he shouted, “I’m okay!”

“Okay.”

“Jump down. I’ll catch you, I promise. It’s the only way to investigate the rest of the ship.” 

“Okay, I’m coming down.” You shouted back before you secured the backpack on your shoulders and took another leap of faith, skin meeting skin as Markus secured you against his frame so you wouldn’t hurt yourself in the fall. 

However, you managed to catch a sight of glowing blue, yellow, and red lights in the surrounding darkness as you whispered, “Markus, look.” Blue and green irises widened as the tanned male turned around, finding many androids, male and female, from many walks of life and occupations staring at you and Markus. At once, a blonde PL600 wearing a Detroit University sweatshirt sauntered over towards you and your fiancé as Markus gripped you tightly in a hug against his chest to protect you. Apparently, the blonde seemed to be the leader of the group, but he also seemed like a merciful, kind soul as he greeted you and Markus with a smile, “Welcome to Jericho.” 

“So, this is Jericho?” You asked as you looked around at all the glowing temple LEDS and blue triangles on many of the uniforms that the androids surrounding you and Markus wore before you looked to your fiancé with hope in your eyes as he looked back at you, grasping your hand tightly with sparkling eyes as your own irises mirrored his, “We really are safe, Markus. We’re finally free.”

“The girl’s not one of us. He is.” One of the androids, a female android piped up from beside the PL600, the passion of a thousand white hot burning suns sparkling in her eyes, as her brunette ponytail swished back and forth with every sentence uttered while an African-American android on the other side of the PL600 confirmed the female’s suspicions, “North’s right. The girl is human.” 

“She can’t leave or she’ll out us! I say we just kill her so she won’t talk!” The female android suggested as she started to walk forward before Markus barricaded you from his own kind, scanning his eyes in every angle to prevent you from being harmed by anyone as the male PL600 held up a single palm to command a surrender from the other androids before your fiancé answered, “My fiancé and I were seeking refuge here at Jericho since we can’t go back home. She saved my life from a human who tried to hurt us, so she may be human but she’s not like the others of her kind. You can’t judge a whole race based on the actions of a few.” 

“Humans don’t like androids, and they sure don’t fall in love with them.” The one known as North scoffed before the African-American android shielded you and Markus with his own body as he hissed out, “North, zip it!”

“You zip it, Josh!”

“Both of you, be silent.” The PL600 scolded as the two arguing parties seemed to heed his leadership before he recounted the findings on his eye scanners to everyone present, “The girl is clearly unarmed and doesn’t mean any ill will as far as I can see...” 

“And I know this human. She was once my college student, a very smart and dedicated one at that, always asking me how I was every day and giving thoughtful presents to me each semester she had me as if I was human.” Josh recounted as a grateful expression beamed upon his dark features. At once, you recognized the man as a former teacher you enjoyed with a hopeful grin and jovial tears evident in your gestures as you nodded back at him. This seemed to pacify North for a time given that one of her own kind knew you to be a kind human, but it still didn’t cease her suspicions as she continued her death glare, daggers invisible to the naked eye seemingly coating the very tense air around you and the android female. To deescalate the situation and possibly gain the trust of the androids who feared you and your kind, you offered up a solution, albeit a somber one at that, “If it will make any of you feel better, especially the one you call North, I’ll be a willing prisoner to prove my loyalty to Jericho. You can lock me up on this ship and I won’t try to run or anything. You can even take my belongings and do a strip search to make sure I don’t have anything that’s traceable to me.” Your plan appeared to be a success as a smirk formed slowly on North’s face while your eyes remained cold. Sure, you were frightened and didn’t know how all of these androids would respond to a human. It was obvious that some were apprehensive towards you, some more than others. One of them even wanted to kill you just for your very race out of fear of what harm you might do to Jericho. However, the majority of the androids seemed to be willing to trust you as Josh and the PL600 didn’t have any malice planned for you but instead were very cordial and kind to you; it was also a bonus that Josh personally knew you and found you to be nothing but a sweet human who treated him as an equal. This kindness was only strengthened by the actions of your fiancé as he continued to protect you from his fellow brothers and sisters, especially the one they called North, who stared at Markus in awe that an android like him who wanted freedom would protect a human like you, “You harm my fiancé in any way and I’LL reveal Jericho.”

“No need for threats. We’re all friends here. I’m Simon.” The blonde PL600, better known as Simon, grinned warmly as he extended a gentle palm of ivory towards you and your fiancé before he noticed the markings on your face, leading him to lightly caress your cheek as he scanned your body before you flinched with closed eyes as your head turned away from the man. As slowly as his hand could muster the strength to move, Simon drew his palm away from you out of fear that he hurt you, awaiting your next response as you stared apologetically at him for reacting that way. The area didn’t hurt anymore and was no longer swelling since it was iced when the paramedics came to the Manfred residence the other night, but it was nonetheless tender and sore, especially when touched. However, Simon completely understood since he could see the sheer inflammation of the nerves underneath the broken blood vessels on your face, so he could only imagine how much pain you felt even though he was shocked that there were no signs of pain medicine in your system. With sparkling baby blues, Simon’s visage expressed nothing short of sympathy for your plight as Markus moved to your side, never letting go of your hand or scanning the other androids to make sure no one had any evil intentions, while the blonde questioned you, “Where did you get these bruises from?” Pausing to allow you a chance to speak and collect yourself, Simon was patient with you like a father to his baby girl as he looked to your fiancé and then back at you while you revealed, “My uncle...He hit me when he found out I was this man’s fiancé. He couldn’t stand the thought of a human and an android falling in love either. He nearly got my fiancé killed because of it.” 

This seemed to soften North and the other androids who had their suspicions towards you as a flash of pain entered the brunette female’s face. However, it only took a millisecond for North to change her expression back to her default in regards to you when she realized you were staring in her general direction, but for that split millisecond, something stirred inside your heart. In that moment, North looked so lost and hurt. By what, you knew not. But with time, you wanted to find out and help the female android recover from whatever harm humans had done her, if she was willing to accept you as a friend and not a foe. This also seemed to stir up what looked like a heartbroken expression in Simon as he sighed with downcast eyes, “I see...My apologies for our first suspicions. We didn’t mean to frighten you when you’ve already been frightened by your uncle.” 

“I completely understand. But you didn’t frighten me because I don’t think you’d hurt me. Androids are not at all dangerous like the media portrays and stereotypes them to be.” You nodded back before a tight squeeze was given to your free shoulder, a kind smile behind the sweet gesture as the one called Josh spoke next on the other side of you, “We won’t lock you up or hurt you, despite what some might think.” Giving a death glare at North as his eyes squinted in disappointment, resulting in a mimicked stare back at him, Josh turned back to you as he explained, “We’re fugitives and Jericho is a refuge for those who don’t want to be slaves anymore, for those who want freedom. It may not be what you and your fiancé hoped for, but we have no masters here.” 

“No, this place is perfect for us to live in peace and be a couple without fear of discovery or persecution.” You remarked with a gentle grin back towards Simon and Josh before the taller android who defended you from North nodded back, “You’re safe here. You can stay with us as long as you want to.” 

“Thank you.” You and Markus responded as your man nodded at Simon and Josh while they walked away with their fellow Jericho members before he pulled you into a tender embrace, his larger frame shaking like a leaf at the very thought of coming to Jericho only to lose you to his own kind because of their fears and aversions towards humans. You had never seen Markus so scared before in your life except for when he saved you from falling off that bookshelf back at your home or when the events of last night transpired. But the way he looked at you now, the way he cradled you and never wanted to release you from his grip...It broke your heart to witness the panic Markus worked himself up into as you cradled him back, thankful to be safe in his arms again and not locked up in a dingy cell like an animal. This only caused North to scowl at you both as she suggested Markus see a ‘Lucy’ before sauntering off towards a far corner of the ship, primarily directing her skeptical expressions at you while you looked apologetic at her. Within a few minutes of exchanging bone-crushing hugs, you and Markus broke apart to explore around the area and get to know your new neighbors in Jericho as you held hands and walked around together.

Walking to one side of the ship, you found a female android, covered in dirt and dried thirium while lacking her humanistic skin. A thousand yard stare planted on her face, her tone indicated defeat as she sighed, “I’ve heard humans are afraid of dying too...Do you know what happens after death?”

“Some human religions say that if your life on Earth was honorable and filled with good, you go to a peaceful eternity where deadly sickness, sadness, and harm doesn’t exist...At least, that’s what I believe.” You responded back with a nod before Markus shook his head, “No...No, I don’t.” 

“Well, I’m about to find out. What’re your names?” The female asked as her eyes began to droop heavily before your fiancé answered, “Markus.”

“(Name).” You replied as well before the female grabbed you and Markus’s hands in hers. With one of her hands turning Markus’s into the cold white metal you grew accustomed to in private moments shared alone, she grinned at you both as she gave a sigh of relief, Markus’s stoic face expressing grief at losing a member of his own race in this tragic fashion while the android’s memories were transferred to him, while she uttered her last words, “I was glad to meet you both...” 

“And us to you...” You nodded back as a single tear dripped down your cheek while you sniffled and wiped your face with the back of your sleeve before you pressed your forehead against the android’s corpse with a subtle whisper, eyes closed in remembrance as it reminded you too much of your grandfather and how he passed away peacefully in front of you, “Though I never knew your name, I hope you rest In peace forever in a place where you’ll always be happy and free. I’m sorry humans hurt you here, but I hope wherever you are, you’ll never know pain again.” 

With a gentle squeeze against your shoulder to ground you back to reality and comfort you in your grief, Markus led you away from the female android towards a corner of the ship where Josh sat beside what looked like a small boy. Laying spread out with cold eyes frozen open and a mouth gaped open, the boy resembled a horrific crime scene as Josh shook his head sadly and looked to you and Markus, noticing the grief in you and your fiancé’s eyes at watching how much the people of Jericho were impacted by the selfish or malevolent actions of humans. Standing up to stand by your side, Josh told the story of the android child with a pained tone and sparkling brown irises to match as he gestured with a hand towards the boy, “They threw him out when they didn’t want him anymore. He was living on the streets before we brought him here.” 

“They’ll all shut down if we don’t find a way to help them.” Markus mused aloud before you asked with determination in your eyes and a heart aching sympathy for the plight of your fiancé’s people, “Is there anything we can do? There must be something. We can’t just leave you guys in Jericho to die, not when you came this far to gain the rights and freedom you deserve.” 

However, Josh’s expression seemed crestfallen, lacking light or hope, as he filled you and your fiancé in on the dire circumstances the people of Jericho were suffering under, “To help them, we need blue blood and biocomponents. We salvage what we can from those who shut down. But there’s never enough.” 

“So, how do they survive?” Markus interrogated the taller android before Josh shook his head, “They won’t. We’re slowly dying out.” After the taller android walked away from you both, Markus decided to light a metal barrel so there would be a fresh fire here for you before he beckoned you over to its warmth, remarking that you were still cold and wet from the high dive into Jericho. Taking Markus’s advice, you held your uncovered hands over the flames as you rubbed them together before drawing them close to your lips, blowing into your palms to produce as much body heat as you could while Simon came up to you from behind, swaddling your shoulders with a tattered blanket as a kind smile graced his face. Thanking him for his kindness and for letting you stay here despite your human condition, Simon remarked that it was no problem as he also thanked you for protecting Markus from your uncle despite being injured yourself and for being kind to Josh when he was a college professor at your alma mater. With a humble remark that treating everyone around you with kindness was simply the right thing and a moral you were taught to uphold, Simon gave one last grin at you before you looked over at North. 

Sitting against a column as she threw a tennis ball against the wall and caught it in a redundant rhythm, North’s expression was neutral as she relaxed into her new position and blocked out the world around her. You knew you shouldn’t push it. North was willing to lock you up or kill you moments ago. You knew that trying to talk to her now while she was suspicious of you wasn’t such a good idea. However, the least you could do was be civil and introduce yourself to her, maybe try to get to know her better. After all, if you were going to be living together in Jericho, you you were gonna have to interact eventually. It just seemed like a good idea to do so now rather than later. Wrapping the blanket tighter around your shoulders, you sauntered over to North as Markus scanned some boxes where supplies meant to help Jericho survive were now as barren as the Sahara, leading him to develop a possible route for supplies in his mind palace in order to help his people. However, seeing your form move from your spot in front of the fire ceased his next movements as he, Simon, and Josh watched the scene unfold from afar, deciding to let you two girls hash out your differences alone without any interference while still remaining cautious in case North decided to change her mind and strike out at you for being human. However, North didn’t seem to want to budge. Instead, her skepticism lead to a curiosity about you too as she secretly glanced over at you every once in a while from her place at the column during your exploration of Jericho moments before, albeit without your knowledge. While she was literally 2.5 seconds away from ripping your head off for being of a race that wanted to demolish her people for wanting freedom and equality, she stayed her hand. After all, Josh knew you personally and you took a wound to the face to defend your android fiancé from your uncle. Plus, you had been nothing but kind and non-threatening to the people of Jericho. Therefore, there was no reason for her to distrust you now even though her guard remained up just in the event you suddenly turned on the sanctuary and all those inside it. 

Standing in front of the beautiful female, you gazed upon her form and took in her appearance. A lilac shirt with long sleeves draped over her as a white bra was clearly visible underneath, given how loose the shirt was, while shorts sat on her long legs, perfectly reminding you of the many times you dressed in a similar fashion around the Manfred home with some of Markus’s shirts. Never taking her eyes off the wall, North’s voice bit into your soul like a harsh winter wind as she asked, “What do you want?” 

“I just wanted to introduce myself properly, maybe get to know you better since we’ll be in Jericho together...I’m (Name) Manfred, former music therapist at a local hospital.” You explained before North shrugged, never taking her eyes off the tennis ball or the wall as she draped one of her forearms over her knees, “Already know who you are...And it’s not like I have much of a choice but to listen to you, now do I?...So what do you wanna know about me?” 

“How long have you been in Jericho?”

“Four weeks, three days, eleven hours. When I escaped, there was nowhere else to go. Jericho seemed as good a place as any...And you?” North asked as she looked to you this time, showing a genuine interest in your next response as she paused her tosses of the tennis ball, while sincere honesty filled your vocal cords and the sparkle of your (Eye Color) irises, “Everything for me and Markus happened last night, so I decided to come with my fiancé since I figured...You know, my uncle would tell the police or press about us...I know you don’t particularly care for humans and I don’t see any reason why you would like my kind after some of them have hurt you all in some way...But I’m willing to prove my loyalty to Jericho in any way I can and prove to you that I mean no harm.” 

“Look forward to seeing that day come, when a human fights for androids rather than fighting them...” North scoffed with skepticism in her tone as she turned her attention back to the wall, the tennis ball making a small popping sound as it hit the ground and the wall before returning back to the female’s open palm. Giving a small nod, you started to make you way back to Markus, who was finishing his exploration of the ship as he lit barrels for warmth and talked with other injured androids who were dying agonizing deaths, before you turned back to North with a soft smile, “You know, if you ever need anything, I’m here for you and any of you here at Jericho...” 

“Well, don’t hold your breath. I’ll be civil with you because of your fiancé, Simon, and Josh...But don’t expect us to be close comrades, so don’t treat me as though I’m your best buddy.” North hissed at you as she stared daggers at you before you shrugged with neutral eyes, “Perhaps for now...But maybe in time, even the coldest heart can find warmth again.” With that statement as your curtain call to this conversation, you rejoined Markus as he grabbed your hand and led you into a nearby tent while North stared at you both. It was strange how she suddenly started to lower her suspicions of you now, especially when you didn’t seem particularly nosy or phony. You didn’t seem like the harsh creatures in the cruel world that she had grown accustomed to, leading to her bitterness towards the world, especially of the humans that inhabited it. In fact, you were a breath of fresh air, a loyal follower of the android cause despite the fact that you weren’t one yourself. What North needed, what she wanted, was a true friend, someone she could trust and be trusted by. Never in her life had North been anyone’s friend. And while her hatred of humans boiled her to her thirium pump’s core, her longing for a friend, any friend, outweighed that wrath. 

Following Markus inside the tent, you and him encountered an African-American female android. Her head split in half with wires connecting her body to the wall behind her, Lucy’s eyes remained closed as if she was powered down or asleep before she heard the two of you enter her domain. Giving a soft smile, Lucy sauntered around the room like a mother welcoming house guests inside her humble abode with an ever-present kindness evident on her face while Markus asked, “Are you Lucy?”

“North asked us to see you.” You replied before Lucy grinned and gestured to an empty seat nearby while she suggested to you both, “Sit down.” Nodding silently, you and Markus sat down beside each other before Lucy gestured towards your fiancé,   
“Show me.” It seemed as though Lucy had android ESP or something because Markus seemed to understand exactly what the female meant as he lifted up the tattered, dirty black shirt on his person to reveal a gaping hole in his rib cage. With thirium leaking out and wires glowing blue inside the wound, it only brought a silenced gasp from your lungs since you didn’t even notice the wound until now but it was still frightening to know that Markus had an injury like that and continued on to Jericho. Had Lucy not caught sight of it in time, Markus would just become another statistic of the fallen of Jericho. However, Lucy went to work healing the wound as she grabbed a white-hot fire poker coated in molten metal while she explained, “I’ll stop the bleeding.” Pressing the poker into Markus’s rib cage, Lucy cauterized the wound quickly as it seemed like only a few seconds passed by before she took the fire poker away and tossed it back into an open flame. Then, grabbing a tall water bottle of what looked blue Cool-Aid to you, Lucy extended the beverage out to Markus as she urged him to drink it, giving your fiancé time to ingest the thirium he desperately needed after losing so much from his injury while Lucy tended to you. Extending a gentle palm to you, Lucy exchanged a pleasant grin with you as you gave an identical expression back before the female android asked for your permission, “May I help you with the bruise on your cheek?”

“Yes, Ma’am. It’s just sore and tender but it doesn’t hurt anymore. However, anything that can help would be gladly appreciated.” You replied as Lucy nodded back at you before grabbing some more medical materials while you took notice of what kind of android Lucy was before you remarked, “I’ve seen wonderful women like you in the hospital I worked at before.” 

“You have?” Lucy asked as she produced a second water bottle for you with clean water in it since she scanned you and found you to be on the cusp of becoming dehydrated. Begging you to drink it, you thanked her for the bottle as you drank the cool beverage while she grinned before she took the bottle back from you. Then, cupping your bruised cheek in her hand, you could feel heat upon your skin as it seemed like Lucy was warming her bare hand to heal your bruise so blood flow could easily speed the process along as you and Markus thanked her for the gesture while she nodded back to you both with a smile. Deciding to distract yourself from the soreness associated with the wound, you continued to talk to Lucy as you recounted your tales of the hospital, “Yes, Ma’am. Mental health professionals were often assisted by a KL900 like Lucy. We heard that one of our mental health patients damaged one of our KL900’s. I do hope you weren’t the one that was hurt.” 

“It wasn’t the patient’s fault. They were already suffering from their own demons, so I don’t blame them at all for my cranial injuries.” Lucy explained as she continued to lightly heat up your cheek before you shook your head, an apologetic tone escaping your chapped lips, “Even still, I apologize for what some members of my kind have done to yours.”

“No need. You are kind and gentle, honest and loving...I don’t hold you accountable for the few sins of your people.” Lucy whispered politely before she took your left hand in hers, twisting your drawn-together fingers around in hers, as she inspected your left ring finger. Noticing the ring on your finger, its blue android temple LED centerpiece illuminating the darkness of the tent, Lucy smiled at you again before she gestured between you and Markus, “You are here with your beloved at Jericho; that says more about you than anything else.” Letting go of your hand and your cheek, Lucy left your side as she appeared back in front of Markus while she commanded him to give her his hand. Doing as he was told, Lucy’s onyx pupils and irises stared into Markus as she sighed in deeply through her mouth, a telepathic link connecting her mind palace with Markus’s as she saw and felt everything he had up to now. Everything in regards to Carl, everything in regards to you, everything in regards to Leo...How human police officers accused him of physical assault and shot him, leaving him for dead in a junkyard until you came after him and escaped to Jericho. All of these memories and feelings were inside Lucy as she looked to Markus before she recounted her findings like the Oracle of Delphi giving a prophecy, “You had it all, and you lost it all...You managed to find the human you love again, but your love will never be safe until the world changes...You’ve seen Hell and now Hell lives in you...Your heart is troubled, a part of shadow and a part of light...Which will prevail? Your choices, yours and hers, will shape our destiny, both for the humans and the androids.” With that, Lucy retreated back to her usual spot among the wires as she went back to sleep, leaving you and Markus alone in the darkness as you both exited the tent together, hand-in-hand. 

Sauntering over to where Simon leaned against a column in his standing position, his blue eyes fluttered shut in deep contemplation, Markus called out to the man as the blonde opened his eyes and faced you and your fiancé, “Simon, I know where we can find spare parts...The CyberLife warehouses in Detroit Harbor, they have everything we need.” 

“The docks are guarded. We can’t just walk in there and take what we want...Human will never let us-“ Simon explained before Markus retorted, “Which is why we won’t ask permission.” 

“We don’t have any weapons. And even if we did, none of us know how to fight.” Josh countered with worry evident in his face and tone before you remained calm in your resolve to both support your husband-to-be and help the dying members of Jericho to prove your worth, “Then we follow Markus’s plan but refuse to fight. We just sneak in undetected, get the supplies, and sneak back out before anyone’s the wiser.” 

“We’ll just get ourselves killed.” Josh sighed brokenly before Markus shrugged, “Maybe...But it’s better than waiting here to be shut down. If we have to, my fiancé and I will go alone. It’s the least we can do for all of you at Jericho helping us.” 

“I’m with you, even if the human goes too...” North nodded with a spark of fight in her eyes as her hands clenched into fists by her sides, her neutral gaze staring into you to find any sign of dissent or cowardice from you only to see none before she shrugged, “Maybe she can have the chance prove her loyalty to me after all.” Mouthing a word of thanks to the female android, North gave a solemn nod back to you before Simon thought about the plan after seeing one of his own on board as he nodded, “Maybe it’s worth a try.” 

Seeing how Simon and North agreed to a plan from a human and android newcomer to Jericho, Josh decided it was worth a shot to at least try to save the people of Jericho as he nodded in your general direction, “Ok, I’m in.” And just like that, a team of five planned to take back from CyberLife what they deserved. Freedom, survival supplies, rights, dignity, all of that was stolen from the people of Jericho. Now, Jericho would get the help it deserved so it could thrive and grow. Jericho was what you and Markus needed but now, it seemed as though you and Markus were what Jericho needed. It wasn’t going to be easy, getting those supplies due to heavy security. However, under the cover of night and with a hardworking team, you and Markus were determined to not fail in this endeavor. The time for decisions was over. The time for action had only begun.


End file.
